"…a superb day!"

"… a great deal was gained musically…thank you"

"The children would love to have this opportunity again."

"...the leader was very competant and

conveyed her enthusiasm to the children brilliantly!"

"We really enjoyed the workshop – please come again!"

These are just some of the comments from the staff of the Enfield schools visited by the Ambache Education Team in June.  Experienced workshop leader and viola player, Katja Mervola led the days of activity and was supported by the musicians Sophie Cole (violin), Graham Instrall (percussion) and Peter Pople (violin).

At Aylward Secondary School the Year 10 group, all of who are studying GCSE Music and are beginning preparations for their exams next year, worked with the team for a day.

The workshops were based on Shostakovitch’s Piano Quintet and gave the students the opportunity to create music around one section of the piece.  The students worked as a whole group and in smaller groups with the musicians to create a piece of original composition around ten minutes long.  This piece was interspersed by extracts of the Piano Quintet played by the professional musicians.  At the end of the day, the group were able to perform their piece with the professional musicians to an audience of Year 7 students, all of whom were exceptionally impressed by the standard and the improvisation skills demonstrated by their fellow students.

At St John and St James the Year 6 class, who are about to leave and move in to their new secondary schools, were given the chance to make music with Ambache.

To tie in with one of the topics of their morning assembly, the Planets Suite was used as a theme for the day.  The young people, working alongside the professional musicians, improvised music for their chosen planets – Earth, Mars and Saturn – and created the most fantastic music to demonstrate their thoughts and ideas about each planet.  Again at the end of the day the young people had the opportunity to perform their work, accompanied by the musicians, but this time it was to the whole school! 

The days were challenging and hard work for everyone involved but were also very exciting and great fun.  The young people from both schools were able to learn a lot whilst enjoying the experience of making music and working with professional musicians.

As Ambache performed at Aylward School in Enfield on 20^th June all the young people had the opportunity to go a long and listen to the orchestra playing live, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

for further details, please contact Sue Sharpe at sharpe@franbar.fsnet.co.uk