From first notes to full orchestra: How 50 Northampton pupils became a musical tour-de-force in one school year

All Saints wants to celebrate their students' talent after just a year of lessons.

A Northampton school wants to celebrate how much their students have grown together with just a year of music lessons

This academic year, over 50 Year 5 students at All Saints CEVA Primary School have gone from picking up their instruments for the first time to playing in a full brass orchestra.

Now, the school wants to share how music has helped their pupils grown in confidence with this video of them playing as an orchestra as part of the year-wide "Brass Project".

Pupils at All Saints are loaned their instruments and take group music lessons together as part of a course by Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT).

Headteacher Claire Dunstan said: "We're exceptionally proud of them all.

"Over the year we've got to see the children's personal growth in seeing themselves in a different way. They see themselves as musicians now when before they just send 'I'll never do that'.

"It could be a life-changing experience for some of them one day."

Under the tutorage of NMPAT music teacher Gary Fountain and All Saints teacher James Bonson, one group of the Y5 pupils even won first prize in their category at the Oundle Festival of Music 2019.

The Y5 class at All Saints CEVA have formed a full brass orchestra in just one year of playing.

One pupil, Amy Ward, who now plays the cornet, said: "I remember being a bit nervous when I first started. But now I feel like I know the different notes and keys.

"It was really cool to take my own instrument home. But i kept playing it and practising while my mum was watching TV."

Meanwhile, Suleyman Zain Yildirin, who has learned to play the tuba, said: "It was definitely the instrument for me. Whenever I took it home my parents wanted me to play a piece for them."

NMPAT is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Still known by many as Northampton Music School and formerly a Local Authority Music Service, NMPAT became an independent charitable trust in 2011.

Lead music teacher James Bonson sets the pace.

Now, as lead partner of the Northamptonshire Music Education Hub, NMPAT continues to deliver the Government’s National Plan for Music Education and strives to provide access to music education for all children and young people of Northamptonshire.