An update on the Autumn term so far

In Harmony provision restarted in September and all three schools are doing fantastically well.

We have now started an after-school programme at all 3 schools which has been very well attended with around 50 children attending each week at each of the 3 schools. This makes for some very hectic but very exciting after-school sessions. These after-school ensembles are an opportunity for the children to further develop their musical and social skills outside of the classroom environment.

In Stoke-on-Trent we have also started an after-school ensemble for Secondary age musicians at Ormiston Meridian Academy (next door to St Augustine’s Catholic Academy).

One secondary student recently attended a special Bassoon and Oboe event at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she took part in a coaching session with top bassoonist Sarah Burnett.

Three of our students will be participating in a National Orchestras for All course later in November. This is what one of them said about the last course:

“Nofa for me is great. It’s amazing in so many different ways: musical reasons, of course, but also it provides a lot of social opportunities and, they focus on people’s well-being, not only educational topics.”

Finally, our Assistant Project Manager, George Kirkham, will leave us at the end of November to take up a new role with the National Trust. We particularly want to thank him for all his hard work setting up the programme in Hollinswood and St Augustine’s during the pandemic. We wish him all the best with his future endeavours.