Chair Endower Valerie Lester’s diary

That Was The Week That ...

 

I spent on the CBSO's education programme, with Jackie Tyler (cello) and Sally Morgan (double bass) at Robin Hood Primary School in Hall Green, Birmingham.

 

Monday

It's Arts Week and Tchaikovsky's ‘Sleeping Beauty' is the theme. Sally and Jackie demonstrate their instruments and some ten year olds have some impressive questions. We are treated to a detailed explanation of the mysterious subject of 'vibrato' after a very attentive pupil asks 'why do you wiggle your finger like that?' A budding entrepreneur asks Jackie about the cost of her cello. Time now for the dinner ladies to organise the hall for lunch so we pack up and I chat to the teachers in the staff room who tell me how much they will enjoy the coming week with a break from SATS, statistics and lesson plans - it's the chance to release the creativity of their pupils

 

Wednesday

I am with Sally who is spending the day with 30 Key Stage 1 pre-school children on ‘Carnival of the Animals' making music as well as animal masks. The first job is to get out various fluffy toy 'props' - bells, whistles, shakers and sticks. I have to leave the comfort zone of the observer and do 'hands on', cutting strips of paper for elephants trunks and handing out crayons. It's organised chaos - the children thoroughly enjoy themselves and the masks are proudly carried off home. We have all pretended to be dinosaurs, snakes and crocodiles. We have shaken, blown, rung, tapped and made lots of music. And when Sally picks up the bass that is bigger than she is, and knocks out the theme from The Pink Panther, small mouths gape open in silence.

 

During the lunch break we hear a rehearsal by Year 5 of the waltz piece they'd worked on yesterday. It's very good, they have the advantage of a conductor - Rachel - whose counting-in ensures tighter ensemble playing than will be heard from the other (more democratic) groups. Sally gives encouragement and a couple of pointers towards better performance. I have a taste of just how much she, Jackie and the CBSO put into the community and have immense admiration for them and for the teachers who have put together this week. I fall asleep that night hearing 'Alice the Camel.'

 

Thursday

With Jackie today is dance and drama teacher, Pyn. Some of the children have instruments, others will be doing mime and movements for ‘Sleeping Beauty.' I must look more at home than I feel, as a teacher I'm chatting to in the staff room asks "Are you an Ofsted evaluator?" She is relieved when I burst out laughing and tells me how much she's enjoying the week. She also divulges the effect working with the CBSO on this and other projects has had on her own teaching methods; how she has modified her approach after seeing what the players can coax from pupils. It's a fascinating insight - something I wouldn't have thought of.

 

Friday

Performance day: masks, costumes, movement and, of course, music. There is just time for a quick rehearsal plus a chance to see all the artwork. Jackie explains that things may go wrong but that is what rehearsals are for. There are surprisingly few mishaps, just a tweak of the timing then there's a short break. Jackie ponders with Pyn on what would be possible with the children if only she had more time/equipment/resources... Then the audience file in, the Headmaster arrives and the performance starts.

 

All goes fantastically well, the audience is gripped throughout and the pupils revel in showing off their work. When the applause has died down the Headmaster congratulates everyone and thanks Jackie, Sally and Pyn. He tells everyone they can be proud of Arts Week.

 

Jackie and I start clearing up, unplugging things and pulling up miles of masking tape from the floor. A boy with a cheeky grin appears and asks Jackie "What's it like to be world famous, Miss?" She has no time for false modesty and answers him simply "I'm very proud, very proud, to be a member of the CBSO". Respect, his and mine, goes through the roof.