Singing primary school pupils raise the roof at Northampton music festival

Pupils perform at the David Ross Education Trust Primary Music Festival

The concert saw singers from 13 schools, including Northampton’s Briar Hill Primary School, Cedar Road Primary School and Eastfield Academy, take to the stage and perform in front of their parents and family members.

As part of the event, performed on the Derngate main stage, pupils sang We Are The World by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, accompanied by the Malcolm Arnold Academy Big Band, among other songs.

Simon Toyne, executive director of music at the David Ross Education Trust, said: “Music is at the heart of the trust’s vision of a well-rounded education.

Kings Heath Primary Academy pupils perform at Primary Music Festival.

“High-profile events such as these provide such exciting opportunities for our children to perform to large audiences in inspiring venues, but they can only happen as a result of well-focused musical activity taking place in schools day to day.”

The concert also featured the first performance of the Cedar Road Boys’ Choir and Year 5 pupils at Briar Hill Primary School, who have learnt use British Sign Language while they sing.

Mr Toyne added: “Our relationship with organisations such as Aldeburgh Music, Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust and The Voices Foundation is enabling us to develop a provision in which every child experiences high-quality music-making and every teacher accesses meaningful continual professional development in music.

“Our thanks go to the many classroom teachers and musicians who have worked so hard over the term to prepare their pupils for this wonderful event.”

British tenor and vocal coach Charles MacDougall conducted the event, accompanied by Justin Miller, Director of Music at St Matthew’s Church Northampton, on piano.