Young voices set to raise the Wokingham roof
The musical talents of schoolchildren in the Wokingham Borough will be showcased this coming Sunday (March 30) when over 400 young voices will raise the roof at a special concert at the Hexagon Theatre.
A massed choir of pupils from 12 of the Wokingham Borough’s primary and junior schools will be taking to the stage to perform “Meet Our Folks”, a concert of songs, dance and drama focusing on parents from their children’s point of view.
The sell-out concert on Sunday is part of Wokingham Borough Council’s “Music for All” project, which aims to continue to develop a planned programme of concerts and events for primary-aged children. The concert is also being supported by local Rotary Clubs.
It will also mark the 61st year of the Wokingham Area Schools’ Music Association (WASMA), a voluntary partnership between local schools which has been staging performances since the 1950s. It continues to provide opportunities for pupils in Wokingham Borough schools to make music together, and this year sharing the experience of being part of a choir of over 400 voices. During WASMA’s history the format of performances has changed a number of times from individual school choirs singing familiar songs to spectacular staging of modern children’s operas with full technical wizardry.
The schools taking part this year are: Bearwood Primary School, Emmbrook Junior School, Finchampstead Church of England Primary School, Gorse Ride Junior School, Hawthorns Primary School, Keep Hatch Primary School, The Palmer Junior School, St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, St Paul’s Church of England Junior School, St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Westende Junior School and Winnersh Primary School.
The pupils will be taking to the stage under the baton of conductor Clive Waterman, who has put in months of hard work to organise the concert. After organising many massed concerts for the borough’s schools since 1975, Clive is now leading the “Music for All” project for the council, sharing his experience to ensure that as many children as possible get the opportunity to perform together.
Wokingham Borough Council’s senior advisor for music David Congdon will also be taking a hand in the concert, literally, as he will be taking to the piano as the accompanist for the evening.
Borough Mayor Cllr Annette Drake will be attending the concert. She said: “This concert will showcase the talent of many of our schools and it promises to be a great performance. I would like to say a thank you to all the teachers who are very committed to this concert and without their efforts the pupils would not have had the chance to take part. I would also like to thank Clive Waterman who has been instrumental over the years in making these concerts such a success.”
Clive Waterman, conductor, said: “Each year the efforts of the Wokingham Borough’s children and their teachers ensure that these concerts are very successful, and a tremendous pleasure for all involved. The ‘sell-out’ audience clearly indicates the level of support that parents and friends give, and I have no doubt that all concerned will once again be very proud of the children’s performance and achievement!”
The performance is the first of two festival concerts taking place at the Hexagon Theatre, Reading, this year which will involve many of the borough’s primary and junior schools and over 900 pupils will have the chance to take part in a musical performance.
A massed choir of pupils from 12 of the Wokingham Borough’s primary and junior schools will be taking to the stage to perform “Meet Our Folks”, a concert of songs, dance and drama focusing on parents from their children’s point of view.
The sell-out concert on Sunday is part of Wokingham Borough Council’s “Music for All” project, which aims to continue to develop a planned programme of concerts and events for primary-aged children. The concert is also being supported by local Rotary Clubs.
It will also mark the 61st year of the Wokingham Area Schools’ Music Association (WASMA), a voluntary partnership between local schools which has been staging performances since the 1950s. It continues to provide opportunities for pupils in Wokingham Borough schools to make music together, and this year sharing the experience of being part of a choir of over 400 voices. During WASMA’s history the format of performances has changed a number of times from individual school choirs singing familiar songs to spectacular staging of modern children’s operas with full technical wizardry.
The schools taking part this year are: Bearwood Primary School, Emmbrook Junior School, Finchampstead Church of England Primary School, Gorse Ride Junior School, Hawthorns Primary School, Keep Hatch Primary School, The Palmer Junior School, St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, St Paul’s Church of England Junior School, St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Westende Junior School and Winnersh Primary School.
The pupils will be taking to the stage under the baton of conductor Clive Waterman, who has put in months of hard work to organise the concert. After organising many massed concerts for the borough’s schools since 1975, Clive is now leading the “Music for All” project for the council, sharing his experience to ensure that as many children as possible get the opportunity to perform together.
Wokingham Borough Council’s senior advisor for music David Congdon will also be taking a hand in the concert, literally, as he will be taking to the piano as the accompanist for the evening.
Borough Mayor Cllr Annette Drake will be attending the concert. She said: “This concert will showcase the talent of many of our schools and it promises to be a great performance. I would like to say a thank you to all the teachers who are very committed to this concert and without their efforts the pupils would not have had the chance to take part. I would also like to thank Clive Waterman who has been instrumental over the years in making these concerts such a success.”
Clive Waterman, conductor, said: “Each year the efforts of the Wokingham Borough’s children and their teachers ensure that these concerts are very successful, and a tremendous pleasure for all involved. The ‘sell-out’ audience clearly indicates the level of support that parents and friends give, and I have no doubt that all concerned will once again be very proud of the children’s performance and achievement!”
The performance is the first of two festival concerts taking place at the Hexagon Theatre, Reading, this year which will involve many of the borough’s primary and junior schools and over 900 pupils will have the chance to take part in a musical performance.
Wokingham Borough Council
<< Home