News and Reviews

News: Music Project focuses on Climate Change
May 2009

More than 150 pupils from six schools in Derby and Derbyshire will focus on the challenges facing the world from climate change through a unique music making project led by celebrated East Midlands orchestra, sinfonia ViVA.

The annual event, organised with different themes by ViVA every summer, will start on Wednesday May 6 when city primary school pupils from Chellaston, Oakwood and Asterdale and Springfield schools in Spondon will join pupils from Creswell and Whitwell in the north of the county at Creswell Crags Museum and Education Centre to gain inspiration for their work.

They will work with ViVA composer James Redwood to write some of the music for the project entitled 'The Fragile Shell', and with author Hazel Gould to write words for the songs as well as joining special sessions highlighting the skills needed to survive the arctic conditions of an Ice Age.

During the following weeks ViVA musicians and conductor David Lawrence will work with the children in preparation for two concerts at Derby's Assembly Rooms on Wednesday June 24 which will see the pupils performing alongside ViVA musicians.

ViVA Education Manager Marianne Barraclough explained: "The climate change theme fits in perfectly with the National Curriculum that the children are learning at school and will bring to life many of the issues that they are addressing in the classroom. We always try to take the children out of school to launch the project and give them inspiration for the work that is ahead and the Ice Age exhibits and natural environment at the newly-refurbished Creswell Crags Visitors Centre will be the ideal venue to achieve this."

She continued: "Our musicians and workshop leaders will then work with children at the individual schools to help them create their own songs and learn the songs that have been specially written for the project before they all come together to perform in front of the public, their families, friends and several other city and county schools at the Assembly Rooms."

The project is supported by Rolls-Royce plc, Derby City Council, Derby LIVE, Bolsover District Council, Derbyshire County Council, Orchestras Live and Arts Council England.

Tickets for the evening performance are £3.00 and £1.50 per child for school groups with accompanying staff free of charge. They are available from the Assembly Rooms Box Office on 01332 255800.

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