Peterborough pupils shine in musical collaboration with Britten Sinfonia
Youngsters at Peterborough’s Discovery Primary Academy were given a unique opportunity to unleash their creativity through a special musical project led by Britten Sinfonia, funded by the Peterborough Music Hub.
The academy, in Mountsteven Avenue, Walton, was specially selected along with children from Brewster Avenue Infant School, All Saints CofE School and Welland Academy in the city to take part in The Big Feelings project – a new initiative developed by Britten Sinfonia to help children explore emotions through music and storytelling.
As part of the project, the six and seven year-olds in Year 2 were invited to write and perform two original songs to accompany the story "Geoffrey Gets the Jitters", which forms the heart of the new musical programme being taken on tour in schools across the country.
Over six weeks, professional musicians from Britten Sinfonia visited the academy to run interactive workshops, helping the children shape their musical ideas and bring their songs to life.
The experience gave pupils the chance to work with experienced artists, develop their songwriting skills, and build confidence in performance.
“The children were given a massive opportunity to inspire creativity,” said Mrs Donna Barnes, the Academy’s music teacher. “We are extremely proud of the work they’ve done and how they embraced their creativity and really made it their own.”
The final performance was a celebration of the children’s hard work, featuring the two original songs they helped compose. Staff, families, and the visiting musicians alike were moved by the enthusiasm and talent on display.
Discovery Primary Academy has a rich musical curriculum and this latest collaboration with Britten Sinfonia has left a lasting impression on the young performers and has ignited a passion for music and storytelling that will continue well beyond the project.