Schools Come Together For Online Music Festival Workshop

Over 1,600 children and their teachers from 50 schools around the county met online with Primary Music Festival conductor, Esther Jones, on Wednesday 22 January. The children and teachers met to rehearse the songs they will be singing at the festivals which are taking place in February and March.

It was great to see the children singing and practising their actions with such confidence and happy faces. Whilst not everyone was able to sing live to each other, all these children were still singing live together in their classrooms with their teachers; this is a key aim of our singing strategy.

Schools commented on how much they enjoyed this novel event which gave them the opportunity to be united in song with so many other children around the county.

Skye Clarke, from Manorfield School, Horley said 'Thank you so much. We feel confident and happy now! Brilliant session.'

'Thank you for arranging this afternoon. Esther, it was super and upbeat and really helpful for all of us - the boys and I had a great time -thank you! Mary Heywood.' The Greville, Ashtead

Surrey Arts Vocal Development Lead, Maureen Mather, said 'We hope that this might pave the way for other virtual county wide singing events in the future. Our thanks go to Surrey County Council Tech Advocates, who helped us stage this virtual event and to the Surrey Arts team who helped organise the event and supported schools to join the call from their classrooms.

The nine festivals will be at Dorking Halls and G Live Guildford, with the first event taking place on 10 February.