Playground Proms

With ACE funding support, Playground Proms is taking music to thousands of children in deprived area schools around the country. Susan Elkin investigates.

Playground Proms is an excellent, if rare, example of something far-reaching and beneficial coming out of lockdown. “We wanted to do something, at a time when most arts events were off, so we started offering music performances to primary schools – outdoors and socially distanced. And “Playground Proms” seemed a suitably catchy name” says founder Cathal Ó Dúill.

“I came to London from my native Ireland in the early 1990s to do a music degree at Guildhall School of Music and Drama” says Cathal, whose first instrument is double bass. “Then with friends I discovered the joy of street performing in Covent Garden and Graffiti Classics, which we formed in 1997, grew from that”, says Cathal, adding that this very interactive cabaret string quartet has travelled the globe including a lot of cruise ship work. “It’s all about movement as well as sound and everything is choreographed” he says of this group, which plays, and has fun with, everything from classical music and opera to hip hop, folk and jazz.

Playground Proms was effectively a spin-off. “We took the idea to the Arts Council England back in 2020 when we all had to be so careful about contact, and they were very enthusiastic,” recalls Cathal. “We thought it would be best to start in one of the most deprived areas of the country, so we went to Barrow-inFurness in Cumbria where the ACE funded a pilot. We played to and entertained children outdoors, playing a wide range of music included the BBC’s Ten Pieces. So then we extended it, with further ACE funding. and now work all over England. We are scheduled to reach 50,000 children during 2024.”

Although the work began with an outdoor brief, many of the performances now take place indoors so that the weather is less of a worry. “But we do still stage it outdoors if the school is very large and that’s what’s required, in which case we use canopies to keep off both sun and rain” says Cathal, explaining that instruments have to be protected from both. “We now have a partnership with a Dalcroze specialist who works with teachers and shows them how to add movement to music. Every school we work with gets a detailed resource pack and we offer

CPD sessions for teachers – all with a view to getting music into schools in deprived areas where there often isn’t any.”

Collaboration with music hubs is essential because they can, and do, follow up the work Playground Proms has done.

“And along with the Arts Council money, we now get grants from local authorities, trusts, foundations and donors. “Roger de Hahn Charitable Trust, for instance has donated £4,000 so that we can do a whole week in Folkestone schools in April. We now have a small, dedicated team of three people whose job is to find funding for Playground Proms.” Cathal is moved and horrified by the level of deprivation in parts of, for example, the Kent ports. “I usually only pass through to get on a cruise ship and don’t see the other side of the area” he says, clearly humbled. Borough councils in both Dover and Folkestone are supporting Playground Proms with grants.

Playground Proms still works in Cumbria as well as other areas including Norfolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Portsmouth. “England is a big place but we’re finding ways of reaching ever further” says Cathal.

Cathal continues: “Our aim is that once the children have enjoyed the session with us they go away thinking what fun they’ve had and with a thirst to do more. The music hubs can offer taster sessions and then instrumental lessons.”

Well, we all know about the wider benefits of studying, making and having fun with music. Cathal is happy to report that teachers have told him that children’s listening skills have improved across the curriculum following a Playground Proms session.

And in addition to all this Graffiti Classics is still busy in the entertainments industry. “We like to pop back to the Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden where it all began when we have time, too” says Cathal – evidently a busy man who loves his job.

Our aim is that once the children have enjoyed the session with us they go away thinking what fun they’ve had and with a thirst to do more.

Playground Proms is on tour of the UK stopping at Norfolk, Kent, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, York, Cumbria, East Riding and Portsmouth. For information go to www.playgroundproms.net

07956 90981 info@playgroundproms.uk IP