Inspirational Prep & Primary School Music Day
Children from five prep and primary schools visited Bedales Senior for an inspirational day of music making on 2 February.
Almost 60 pupils from St Thomas’s Battersea, The Prebendal School, Windlesham School, Dorset House School and Steep Primary attended Bedales’ annual Prep & Primary School Music Day, which is designed to give insight into music at Bedales.
Pupils worked with Bedales students to rehearse a range of repertoire, including a choral arrangement of Mama Cass Elliot’s Make Your Own Kind of Music and orchestral arrangements of Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King and Coldplay’s Viva La Vida.
The rehearsals culminated in an illuminating afternoon performance in the Lupton Hall, which also included an improvised blues piece by a group of 10 guitarists in collaboration with Bedales guitar teacher Kevin Walker and Block 4 (Year 10) Bedales student Wulfie.
Pupils were also treated to performances from Bedales musicians, which included classical repertoire from music scholars Lois (marimba), Lolo (piano) and Imogen (harp), as well as a preview of the Bedales Rock Show in the Theatre.
Thanking Bedales for the “wonderful experience”, St Thomas’s Battersea described the day as “fun, inclusive and encouraging” and parents of pupils also praised the day, citing the positive impression it made on their children.
Bedales Director of Music Doug McIlwraith commented: “Thank you to everyone who joined us for this fantastic day of music making. It was wonderful to share the musical message with live by at Bedales, and what really made the day special was the contribution of Bedales musicians who gave such inspiring performances and helped our young visitors learn so much music so quickly.”