Music is for Life 2008 at the Fairfield Halls

Sing Up!

On Wednesday 30^th April, 2008 over 500 children from 12 Merton primary schools joined together to sing and play at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon as part of the Merton Music Foundation’s concert series ‘Music is for Life’. The performance was a culmination of a series of vocal workshops that had taken place in schools since January. The children and their teachers had learnt a range of exciting new songs and received high quality vocal tuition to improve their singing voices and develop their general musicianship skills. As their voices resounded across the hall, there was no doubt that this was one series of lessons that had been enjoyed by all!

The concert began with the djembe drummers from Pelham and St Mary’s RC Primary Schools. Again, this had begun as whole class tuition programme for all pupils in years 4 and resulted in an exciting performance of African music to open the concert. The massed choirs from Dundonald, Garden, Joseph Hood, Lonesome, Malmesbury, Merton Abbey, Merton Park, Sacred Heart, William Morris and Wimbledon Chase primary schools presented a colourful spectacle in red, blue, yellow and green T-shirts as they sung songs from around the world.

The concert also included performances by the Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra, Merton Youth Concert Band and the young and talented soprano soloist Caroline Benn, who presented a wide range of solo songs in the first half and joined forces with the Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra to sing two popular jazz standards in the second.

Merton Music Foundation is at the forefront in supporting music education within the borough both during and after school hours. As well as instrumental and vocal tuition, MMF runs a number of bands, choirs and orchestras for all levels and ages, thus proving that ‘Music is for Life’!

Further information about the activities taking place at Merton Music Foundation can be found on this website or by contacting the MMF Office on 020 8640 5446.

See our Music is for Life 2008 feature page for further information on this fantastic concert.

Music Manifesto supports Music is for Life!

The Music Manifesto website features our Music is for Life concerts. To find out more, follow the link below...

Music Manifesto website

Music is for Life 2007 at the Royal Albert Hall
Merton schools will be staging a spectacular concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 23rd April 2007. This prestigious event, which is organised by Merton Music Foundation, has proved to be a huge success since it was first staged at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon in 2004. Now in its third year, ‘Music is for Life’ moves to the Royal Albert Hall, where over 1,200 young people will take to the stage to perform in a dazzling selection of music from around the world.

1,000 Key Stage 2 children from Merton primary schools will sing 'Drop in the Ocean' and listen to performances by the award winning Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Merton Youth Concert Band; Brazilian samba from secondary school musicians working with the London School of Samba and a 180-strong massed band drawn from the Foundations’ three concert bands.

The second half of the concert will feature Pete Churchill’s epic ‘David and Goliath’, a jazz oratorio for massed primary schools choir, big band and strings, with the internationally acclaimed jazz saxophonist Stan Sulzmann as featured soloist. Also involved are actor/singers Gary Bryden and Paul Medford, and musicians from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The initiative is being provided by the registered charity Merton Music Foundation with support from the DfES and the London Borough of Merton as part of its music development strategy for primary schools. 'Music is for Life' is one of the Foundation's key pledges under the Music Manifesto and involves children and teachers from 24 Merton Primary schools in the development of singing during the 2006-2007 academic year.

MYJO to appear at the Primary Proms

Following their successful appearances at the Schools Proms in 2005 and the National Festival of Music for Youth this year, the Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra (MYJO) has been invited to perform at the Music for Youth Primary Proms at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 13 October. The Primary Proms provide primary school children with the opportunity to experience live music in a major concert hall and encourage their involvement in music. Over 18,000 children, aged from four to eleven years, from schools in high social priority areas are treated to free concerts in London, Birmingham and Chester. For the majority it represents not only their first visit to a concert hall but also their first exposure to a range of music they would not normally have the opportunity to experience. Click here for further information > Music for Youth

Outstanding success for Merton’s Young Musicians!

This has been another very successful year for Merton Youth Music. Last year the Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra was invited to perform at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Music for Youth Schools Proms and this year both the Merton Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Merton Youth Concert Band have reached the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham in mid-July. The musicians will be travelling to Birmingham on two days to perform at the highest level with other youth bands from all over the country.

National Festival of Music for Youth and the Schools Proms for MYJO!

The 2005 Schools Proms at the Royal Albert Hall celebrates the very best of music-making by young musicians, singers and dancers from every corner of the British Isles. 3,000 young performers, from schools and music groups of every kind, will come together to show just why this country leads the world in its sheer breadth of musical form and participation.

The Schools Proms take place over three nights on 7, 8 and 9 November 2005. Audiences of over 14,000 will be treated to every style of music. The exuberance, skills and talent of these gifted young performers will reach a climax each evening with a spine-tingling finale of fireworks, balloons and the traditional Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.

John Mander, Chief Executive of MMF said: "MYJO has been selected from hundreds of ensembles across the country to perform at the Royal Albert Hall. This is a tremendous honour for Merton and its talented young musicians".

2005 Schools Proms Participants

Click here to view a list of participants for the 2005 School Proms.

Instrument Appeal...

We are in need of 'good quality' instruments to use in our Primary Schools Wider Opportunities programme. If you have any of the following instruments which you no longer need please consider donating them to MMF:

1/4 size violins
1/2 size violins
flutes
clarinets
trumpets
trombones

For further information contact the MMF Office on 020 8640 5446.

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