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Watch: School children gather in York Minster to sing at special music day

Wed 21 Jun

Primary schoolchildren celebrated Make Music Day in York today with the Richard Shephard Music Foundation. Photographs: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions

Wed 21 Jun 2023  @ 6:36pm
Rachel Rogers
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Primary schoolchildren from across Yorkshire took part in a special celebration of music at York Minster and York St John University today (Wednesday).

The event was part of Make Music Day – the UK’s largest single-day music festival which encourages people to get involved in music – and run by charity the Richard Shephard Music Foundation.

The day involved lots of group singing, workshops, instrument playing, demonstrations and more.

Take a look at some of the children from Badger Hill Primary Academy, York, Clifton Green Primary School, York, Easterside Academy, Middlesbrough and Middleham CofE Aided School, North Yorkshire singing together at York Minster’s Chapter House in our video below.

The foundation was set up to remember the late composer Dr Richard Shephard, who died in 2021, and aims to bring the experience and enjoyment of music to children, particularly those from disadvantaged or isolated communities.

Cathy Grant from the foundation said: “The day is all about celebrating children’s natural musical talent, supporting their wellbeing, and raising children’s musical aspirations.

“What drives us forward is the ambition that every child should have music in their lives. It shouldn’t be for the privileged few.

“Working alongside our partners, we’re seeking to remove the geographical and financial barriers to a high-quality music education so that every child can experience the great many educational, health and well-being benefits it can bring.”

Since it’s creation, 5,000 children have been receiving weekly music lessons within their schools, subsidised by the foundation.

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Children ready to sing in York Minster’s Chapter House

“It’s fantastic for us today, to see the work of the Foundation really coming to fruition,” said Richard Shephard Music Foundation Trustee, Phillip Breen.

“The benefits of music in these children’s educational lives are not just for ones that are interested in music or have an aptitude for music. It gives them a vocabulary, it gives them teamwork and discipline – all of those wonderful, intangible gifts.”

The foundation also has ambitious plans for the future.

“We aim,” said Cathy, “over the next three years, to allow over 10,000 young people to receive a high-quality music lesson each week and to have the opportunity to join a choir, to come along to a music holiday club, or take up an instrument.”

Find out more about the Richard Shephard Music Foundation at their website.

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