Peterborough pupils hit all the right notes in special musical sessions

Nearly 1000 pupils from primary schools across the city participated in the Peterborough Sings! Magic of the Musicals schools’ singing days at the Cresset on Thursday and Friday last week. Working with a professional music team directed by William Prideaux, they enjoyed a whistle-stop tour of musical theatre greats including Where is Love, Consider Yourself at Home, Truly Scrumptious, Singin’ in the Rain, Over the Rainbow and My Favourite Things. In the afternoon pupils were joined by a live band and had the opportunity to meet the musicians and learn about their instruments during a series of fun and interactive “meet the musician” sessions. As well as providing expert vocal coaching and the opportunity to work alongside professional musicians, an important aspect of the singing days is to give young people the experience of performing live on stage in a professional venue. At the end of each day, pupils enjoyed performing the songs they had learned live on stage to some very appreciative audiences of family and friends. The Magic of the Musicals schools’ singing days were the tenth in a series of large-scale singing events funded by Arts Council England as part of the Peterborough singing strategy, delivered by Peterborough Sings! on behalf of Peterborough Music Hub and Peterborough City Council with broad aims to transform provision for singing in the city’s primary schools. These events have engaged thousands of children from across the city and been fantastically well received by staff, pupils and parents alike. Di Roberts of Woodston Primary School said: “What a wonderful opportunity for pupils from different schools, cultures and backgrounds across the city to

work and perform together. It’s really fantastic to see how much enjoyment and self-confidence they gain from the experience.”