‘Around the World’ at St John Fisher SCHOOL

Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra’s Community & Outreach team remains committed to sharing the joy of music with children and schools across Oxfordshire and beyond.

Throughout April and May, the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra brought its outreach project ‘Around the World’ to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in Oxford. Led by OPO’s very own Miranda Walton, a team of musicians gave children the opportunity to hear a variety of music from across the globe, engage in musical activities, and learn about orchestral instruments.

From Handel to K-pop, the OPO took classes on a sonic tour spanning multiple countries and hundreds of years of musical history. The OPO team spent time showcasing their instruments and explaining the orchestral families before giving the children an opportunity to try them out for themselves, including violin, bassoon, trumpet and bodhrán.

“It was awesome, I learned so many new instruments!”

Groups composed their own pieces, developing rhythmic skills through body percussion and using vocal warm-ups to learn singing techniques and pitch. By the end, even the most timid had become enthusiastic dancers and exuberant musical performers, showing the joy of music in full effect.

The OPO are always looking to bring classical music to environments where there is often less access. Our schools work, our £5 ticket initiative, our hospital visits are all central to achieving this mission. Half the students at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School had never met a classical musician before. Initiatives like these are a great opportunity for children to develop confidence and teamwork skills.

“I wanted to learn more instruments and luckily you came! My mum will be super happy!!!”

Learn more about our school workshops here.

Photos courtesy of St John Fisher Catholic Primary School and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra

Watch this space for more Oxford Philharmonic Community & Outreach programme updates!