Steel Pan Workshops

Queensbridge received a visit from the Steel Pan Agency today, along with their huge set of Steel Pans. We learnt that steel pans are tuned percussion instruments that come from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. They were invented in the 1930s, after Second World War soldiers left huge oil drums on the beaches. The music developed from Tamboo Bamboo Bands. We enjoyed the assembly performance and singing along with the music. Then Year 3 and 4 children had the chance to play the pans in workshops. Here are some pictures and video. Do you know anyone that plays steel pans? 

 

Fire! Fire! with the Classical Roadshow

52 wonderful members of Junior Choir travelled to the Classical Roadshow today at the Milton Court Concert Hall near the Barbican. We were treated to a retelling of the Great Fire of London, using lots of evidence from the diary of Samuel Pepys. The London Mozart Players were the fantastic orchestra who played the entrie show, and we sang along heartily with all of the audience participation songs. Here are some clips, and some feedback from choir members. 
Thanks to all of the staff who supported the trip and to the parents that came to watch!

"I enjoyed it because it was fun to sing. As a choir we sounded amazing. I liked the acting of the main characters. It made it seem like it was coming back to life. The stage choir knew what they were doing and didn’t forget anything."

"I liked how they made it into a play. When the lights turned on we knew that we were supposed to sing and when the lights turned off, they carried on with the play."

"I liked the bright colours of the lights. When the fire was coming they turned red, and when there was water they turned blue."

"I loved the expressions of the actors. When she saw the fire, Jane was screaming and singing at the same time."

"Our parents came to listen to the music and the singing."

 "I liked how they introduced us to some instruments like the bass clarinet, the Cor Anglais, and the harpsichord."

 "I liked how the parents were singing along."

"The conductor was really funny."

Peace At Last - Opera in the Hall

What a treat for Reception and Nursery Children... Last Wednesday, Opera Up Close brought their production of Peace At Last to Queensbridge School. We loved seeing the bears from this famous picture book come to life, and to hear them singing about going to bed. The singers took on different roles to make all of the noises that bother Mr Bear as he tries to get to sleep.. first in the bedrooms, then downstairs, then in the garden, and finally in the car. 
The singers were accompanied by musicians playing the harp and the clarinet and bass clarinet. It was so interesting to see and hear these instruments up close. You can enjoy some clips from the show below. 

You can hear the full story here:

Wonderful Summer Concert

Queensbridge kids performed tremendously in a sweltering hall on Monday 15th March. The concert featured the Chamber Choir, Junior Choir and Orchestra, as well as various groups taught by visiting instrumental teachers: African drummers, brass ensemble, woodwind groups and our cellists. See the videos below for some highlights (we haven't been able to include all of the groups due to lack of photo permissions)

George, Zack and Tom rehearsed themselves as a trio over a few weeks in the summer term. Here they are performing their arrangement of Attitude by Nicholas Scott-Burt, and their own composition, 21st Century. Well done boys - we hope to see you playing with your secondary school groups and other groups in the future!

Instrumental Lessons in September

The school instruments are sorted, fixed and ready for lessons to restart in September. Thank you to all of the children who remembered to bring them in, or who made an agreement with Mrs Woolfenden to keep their instrument for some holiday practice. 

We have some spaces for lessons coming up this September. Please speak to the office or Mrs Woolfenden if you child is interested in having lessons. We can currently offer lessons to children from Year 3 up, but for some woodwind instruments, children must wait until Year 4, or until their hands are large enough.  

We currently host lessons in violin, cello, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, flute, guitar, percussion (kit, orchestral or African drumming). We are looking into offering piano lessons. Lessons are generally £40 per half term, and Queensbridge offers financial help for lessons for those children on Free School Meals. 
See the instrument lessons page for more information.

If your child has been having instrumental lessons but no longer wants to continue with and you have agreed to this, please send a note/email to that effect in September. 

Goodbye Year 6 - Thank you for the music!

Wow - Year 6 put on a stunning Leavers' Show today. The singing was truly astounding. What a sound. You can listen to the audio here:

Year 6: You are so musical and we will miss you at Queensbridge. We hope you will keep on singing, playing and dancing at secondary school.

Queensbridge percussionists join the Grand Union Orchestra

We were fortunate enough to take part in a truly special concert last Thursday, 27th June. Some of our Year 3 and Year 6 children took part in A World Odyssey performance with the Grand Union Orchestra and the Hackney Training Orchestra and Youth Orchestra. We were also joined by drumming and steel pan groups from other Hackney schools. What an experience to play with so many other musicians! We'll never forget it. 
It was also fantastic to see Tom in Year 6 playing double bass with the Hackney Training Orchestra for the World Odyssey and George (Y6) and Oscar (Y5) playing piano and trombone respectively with the Classical Meets Jazz Ensemble, in their own version of Sheherezade by Rimsky-Korsakov.

 

Here's a clip of Claude teaching us the Homecoming Song from South Africa for the first time back in May. Do you think we made good progress?