News and Reviews

News: Local Pupils Celebrate Bess of Hardwick
October 2007

Around 200 pupils from three city schools are embarking in a unique arts project to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Bess of Hardwick. sinfonia ViVA, Children's Music Workshop, Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council and The National Trust have joined forces to organise a special creative writing and music project over the coming months.

The project starts with a visit by pupils from Asterdale and Springfield primary schools and West Park School in Spondon, Derby and Creswell Junior School, Hodthorpe Primary School and Heritage School in Bolsover, Derbyshire to Hardwick Hall on Thursday October 11 to gain inspiration for their creative work to come. Activities on the day will include music and writing workshops on the architecture, lifestyle and entertainment at the Hall in the 16th century led by Cathy Grindrod who was the first Derbyshire Poet Laureate, composer James Redwood and Community Learning Officer for Hardwick Hall Jo Rawson. The pupils will then attend creative writing and music workshops to create their own pieces in response to Hardwick Hall.

These pieces will be performed as part of a major new oratorio about Bess, "More Glass Than Wall" which will be written by Cathy Grindrod and James Redwood for sinfonia ViVA, children's choir, young instrumentalists and two vocal soloists during the project. The work will be performed back where the process started in the grounds of Hardwick Hall and at the Assembly Rooms, Derby in June 2008. Poems and lyrics created during the project will also be exhibited for at Hardwick Hall for visitors to see and a DVD will be produced.

Bess of Hardwick led a long and colourful life and became particularly famous for her building projects, especially Chatsworth, now the seat of her descendants the Duke of Devonshire, and Hardwick Hall. She is interred in a vault in Derby Cathedral where there is a memorial to her.

ViVA Education Manager Marianne Quintrell explained: "This is a very exciting project which will broaden the horizons of the young people involved and encourage them to explore and enjoy local history, through music and poetry. They will all be involved in learning the new piece and writing new music and words which they will perform alongside professional musicians on stage and we are looking forward to working with the young people over the coming months."

Stephen Godwood from West Park School continued: "It is going to be great to be working at the magnificent Hardwick Hall and to be working with professional musicians and writers on what looks to be a superb starting point - Bess of Hardwick. Forging even stronger links with two of our partner primaries will be very beneficial to both sides. We are all very excited about what is ahead."

Katie Adamski, Acting Headteacher, Creswell Junior School, continued: "This project will allow the children to develop their music skills which is already a school strength, and to use music to help to develop their literacy. We are very excited about the project, which is going to provide the children with a high quality learning experience and the opportunity to work with top professionals. It's great that the project is going to be first hand and practical for the children."

Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945 665 or email sarah@jjpublicrelations.co.uk