Schools

We have been working closely with local primary schools, particularly in special needs areas of the city. In working with schools, typically, we run a series of workshops in which the children have the opportunity to learn about a particular work, its music and, if applicable, its libretto. They then discuss and develop the theme in terms of their own emotions and direct experience in the local community. This leads on to a re-creation of the theme in their own words and music, culminating in a performance of their interpretation before the whole school, parents and staff. Where possible the children then repeat the performance in public at our home base, the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, as a prelude to a performance of one of our concert performances. Few of the participating children will have had any experience of music making before, so the performance is based on a wide range of percussion instruments which the children learn to play very quickly. Singing is also an important part of the activity.

We have just completed a residency at Wood Farm Primary School along these lines, and are now running a series of workshops in Blackbird Leys, with the Pegasus Primary School.

We are also working with the Mulberry Bush School in Standlake, Oxfordshire. This is a school for seriously emotionally disturbed children, and where the power of music as a direct form of communication where other methods fail has shown remarkable results. We are establishing a residency here, and also working on a collaboration with other schools in the area to help the children of the Mulberry Bush to learn to integrate better into the community.

Our latest community activity focused on the Blackbird Leys Choir, 'The Singing Estate' of Channel 5 fame. Following their successful televised debut at the Royal Albert Hall two years ago, we have been working with them to help the choir establish themselves as a permanent presence on the Blackbird Leys estate. The collaboration involved an intensive series of rehearsals leading up to major public concerts with the full Oxford Philomusica. In addition we have conducted a series of workshops on voice training and musical appreciation in association with the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Oxford. The Choir is now self-reliant while still maintaining a close association with the Oxford Philomusica.