Magical Musical Tour

Bach to the Future took children on a musical journey through time at Ramsgate Arts Primary.

Kent Music’s professional musicians Colin, Graeme and Lori conducted a packed hall of pupils on a sonic trip from the days of Bach around 300 years ago to the present.

They demonstrated the woodwind, string and brass sections of the orchestra and explained how instruments react to sound vibrations whether caused by blowing, plucking, strumming or bowing.

The trio also showed how the most basic of home-grown instruments can be played – a length of hose and a funnel became a brass instrument; a series of straws joined together and played like a rudimentary clarinet; and a broom pole, string and bucket upright bass.

The fourth section of a traditional orchestra is percussion and this was shown on a large screen where performers The Blue Men created a range of drum sounds using different length of plastic piping.

The roadshow included live demonstrations of music from film, TV and musical theatre, and a range of different styles from classical and jazz to popular music.

Richard Davies, Kent Music area manager for Thanet and Canterbury, visited the RAPS show. He said: “This school has quite an extensive music provision and I understand it is being broadened in the coming school year.”

The Roadshow aims to inspire children to learn a musical instrument and to encourage an understanding of just how valuable music is to our world and to our everyday lives.

Head of School Nick Budge said: “The roadshow was brilliant – it had all the pupils enthralled and it really supported the type of learning that we are offering. Music is one of our cornerstone subjects as an arts specialist school and Kent Music is very supportive of what we are achieving.”

Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School at Broadstairs and Chilton Primary School, Ramsgate.

To book a tour of RAPS and see the arts learning in action, contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847.

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