Performances
At the end of term, a short concert is given by all the children so that parents can see and hear what their child has learnt. The aim of each concert is to get the children used to performing in public. Whilst playing as part of a group the children can make friends easily, encourage and motivate each other and most importantly enjoy playing.
Children from the various classes have played at school assemblies, St Patrick Day concerts and Multicultural Festivals at schools. Public performances have included 'Funday, Sunday' and the 'Respect Festival' organised by the Mayor of Brent.
In March 2005 a group entered the 'Music for Youth Festival' which is organised by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and the Department of Education. This is Europe's largest music festival for children and annualy attracts over 10,000 entries from school choirs, orchestras, jazz, wind and steel bands as well as all forms of ethnic and international music. The children played at Morley College in South London and received very positive comments in both the verbal and written feedback from the adjudicators
We were really delighted in early summer when the group were invited to appear at the National Finals of the Music for Youth Festival taking place over one week in Birmingham. On the day we played at the Birmingham Symphony Hall in the International Section of the festival. The other groups included folk and English music, African Drumming, Steel bands as well as an Indian Dohl group. At the end of the day, the panel of five judges awarded our group a highly commended place (one of only two prizes awarded). This was a great surprise to the children who were the youngest group performing on the day.
Charity Performances
Just before Christmas each year the classes organise a fund raising session night to raise money for charity. This evening starts with all the children playing for about an hour and is then continued with the more advanced students and adults. In December 2004, we raised over £700 for 'The Shooting Star' Children's Hospice which was just about to open in West London.
In Spring 2005 the group played as a support act for a fundraising evening in aid of the British National Fostering and Adoption Agency. The main act was Sean Cannon from the Dubliners and the children all enjoyed both meeting Sean and his son.
In December 2005 our annual session night was to raise money for 'The British Heart Foundation' and we managed to raise over £500 for this charity and will continue to support them throughout the next year.
February 2006 saw the children playing at a fundraising night for St Marks Hospital in Harrow to raise money for Crohn's Disease. This was a special cause as one of Colette's school friends is a sufferer and her family organised the event. Over £2000 was raised by many different acts playing throughout the evening.
Colette regularly plays at fund raising and charitable events for organisations including Multiple Sclerocis, Macmillan Nurses and HCPT (Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage Trust).
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