Schools hit the right note with songs for the season
Festivities can’t take place in their usual format this year, but Su n d e rl a n d s c h o o l s aren’t letting that stop them from hitting the high note.
Sunderland Music Hub are keeping the festive spirit alive by working with primary and secondary schools and community music groups from across the city to deliver a digital Christmas concert called Songs for the Season.
The event will be streamed online at 7pm on Thursday, December 10, for families across the Sunderland area to enjoy.
Around 700 children from Sunderland’s primary schools will create a mass digital choir to sing some classic Christmas songs, such as Jingle Bell Rock,
WinterWonderlandand12 Days of Christmas.
They’ll be supported by young instrumentalists from S u n d e r l a n d ’s s e c o n d a r y schools who behind the camera are creating a supergroup of musicians to play the backing tracks.
Alongside the schools, there will be performances from youth ensembles and community music groups. Right Track, a group for aspir
ing musicians aged 12+, will be performing Driving Home for Christmas while Let Out the Noise, a digital singing for wellbeing group, will sing Merry Christmas Everybody.
The concert will end with Sunderland Youth and Community Orchestra performing alongside Sunderland Symphony Orchestra for a
very special performance of Sleigh Ride.
Staff from Sunderland Music Hub are visiting Primary Schools to deliver singing workshops and to record the student’s contributions to the digital choir, making sure to adhere to government guidance on singing safely in schools during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lizzie Nixon, Sunderland Music Hub manager said, “Making sure that children and young people still have access to singing and musicmaking during this period of coronavirus restrictions is something that all of us at Sunderland Music Hub feel passionately about.
"We know that singing in particular has hugely positive effects on mental health and wellbeing and so this year more than ever we’re delighted to be marking the festive season with a city- wide concert.”
More information at www. sunderlandmusichub.org.uk/ project/songs-for-the-season/