BBC Orchestra take over Liverpool primary school!

A Liverpool primary school welcomed members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra for a BBC Ten Pieces take over day.

English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, in Litherland, was chosen to take part in the BBC’s latest initiative for primary schools, which aims to inspire a generation of children to get creative with classical music.

Led by BBC Learning, the BBC Orchestras and the BBC Singers, Ten Pieces began in October 2014 with special screenings for schools across the UK and various activities for schools to get involved in.

Katy Jones, executive producer of BBC Learning, says: “Music has the power to transform lives, and we are hoping that this project will be a catalyst for all kinds of creativity in primary schools across the country, as well as providing an inspirational way in to classical music.”

During the day long take over, children prepared a musical response to the famous Russian Ballet, ‘The Firebird’ by Igor Stravinksy – one of the ten classical pieces announced as part of the music initiative.

Some children worked with a local dance teacher to create a routine, whilst others used the music as an inspiration to be creative with expressive art.

Michael, a Year 4 pupil who took part in the day, says: “I was so excited to work with the musicians, and it’s been great fun to explore lots of the different pieces. My favourite piece is the Night on Bare Mountain by Mussorgsky.”

The school have a whole host of activities planned to celebrate the Ten Pieces visit, including cross-curricular topics in literacy and numeracy by using Grieg’s piece ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ from Peer Gynt.

Ten Pieces will end with a celebration of the children’s creative work in Summer 2015.

The day was captured on film by the BBC which will be shown via the BBC Ten Pieces website and the school’s own website.