Primary School’s pupils start a new creative music project!
February brought the commencement of a new creative music project - facilitated by the Organ Project Animateur, Neil Valentine – working with pupils at Preston Candover Primary School. 24 pupils from Years 4 and 5 attended an introductory workshop to explore the history and heritage and artefacts in the church, including the organ, with the aim then of using their experiences to begin writing a song which they would develop in subsequent school-based workshops.
‘I really enjoyed making the song and doing the quizzes and the biscuits!’ (Pupil comment)
‘It was exciting and a fun experience. I really enjoyed playing the organ.’ (Pupil comment)
Activities for the children in this first exploratory workshop included:
An introduction to the organ with Organist, John Purver, and an opportunity to play it hands on (!)
An exploration of the sculptures and key features in and around St John’s using a designed set of photograph-based quizzes featuring Faces, Unusual Things; Animals; Outside features.
A music creation/ideas workshop drawing from the experiences and feelings of the children following the first two activities, with the aim of having a first verse/chorus created for the beginning of a song. With foot tapping, singing, and clapping, this was a very active session.
‘I didn’t know that the church was built in 1888 and that the organ has so many pipes. I wish I could have stayed for much longer!’
(Pupil comment)
The children worked with Neil to create what might be the chorus or the first few lines of their song. They will then use this as the basis for their further work with Neil in their 3x follow-on creative music workshops in the school during late February/March - all to culminate in a performance in mid-March.
‘I really liked the sculpture of the angels on the tower. I liked the angel with the key because it was like a key to heaven.’
‘We loved quiz hunting and playing the organ; and finding the things!’ (Pupil comments)
