Susan Elkin visits Arnhem Wharf Primary, a school committed to the arts, and is inspired by seeing the Ex Cathedra Choir in rehearsal
I’m sitting in a classroom at the attractively light, bright and modern Arnhem Wharf Primary School on the Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets on a spring Monday morning. 30 eight and nine year olds – a gloriously diverse group – are singing with shining eyes and well disciplined energy. In front of them, drawing out real quality, precision and concentrated focus, is professional singer and singing teacher Suzzie Vango. An accompanist from Ex Cathedra Choir is at the keyboard.
These children – about a third of the school’s Year 5 and they’ve chosen to participate – are part of a project run by Ex Cathedra, a Birmingham-based “choral powerhouse”. Eight primary schools are involved in Shakespeare Odes, a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham and London.
Each school has five sessions with Suzzie and lots of practice with their regular teacher between her visits. There is then a regional rehearsal this month and a concert – at All Saints Church Stratford, where Shakespeare is buried, at Birmingham Town Hall or at Milton Court Concert Hall at The Barbican in London.
The new 34 minute piece they’re working on is a setting by Sally Beamish of seven Shakespeare-inspired poems by Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy under the title “A Shakespeare Masque”. I’m not permitted to quote those poems here for copyright reasons but believe me, both words and music are upbeat, vibrant and fun. The children will sing choruses and continuo, working with professional soloists and members of Ex Cathedra’s regular youth choirs. On the day they will be conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore, who founded Ex Cathedra in 1969 when he was only 18 and remains its artistic director.
The first half of the concert celebrates the first ever Shakespeare jubilee in 1769 when actor David Garrick decided it really was time to put Shakespeare on England’s cultural map. He wrote an ode which, set to music by Thomas Arne, has been reconstructed for this concert. Actor Sam West will narrate as Garrick and there will be lots of music on eighteenth century instruments.
This is the sort of project which the 180 or so children who take part across the three venues will remember for the rest of their lives – especially if they’re to be dressed in Shakespeare costumes which was under discussion at the time of my visit. Anyway, it’s pretty “cool” to take part in a world premiere when you’re still only in year 5.
Arnhem Wharf School is very committed to the arts. “We take every opportunity which comes our way” says teacher Janet Banzca, telling me that theirs is a Platinum Sing Up School and adding that she has the enthusiastic support of her head, Sara Haynes. Janet takes all the children for singing once a week, has a successful whole class string teaching system running (the school even boasts a string quartet) takes part in the Shakespeare Schools Festival, stages an annual Year 4 musical and much more. The walls are covered in delightful children’s art too which she keeps drawing my attention to. Janet has been working with Ex Cathedra for ten years.
Jeffrey Skidmore grew up on a Birmingham council estate and the development of all encompassing programmes for singers at every level is central to Ex Cathedra’s work. At the heart of the organisation is a professional consort and specialist chamber choir with a wide repertoire. Below that are Ex Cathedra Academies of Vocal Music which recruit and train youth choirs – which provides a pathway for people like Suzzie Vango who used to sing in an Ex Cathedra Academy choir.
Then there are the ongoing programmes for schools. Singing Playgrounds, for example, has now been running for ten years and has worked in 500 schools across the UK and internationally. “A project for everyone in a primary school community, we train a group of children to lead their peers in playing singing games in the playground” says the website and Janet Banzca is an enthusiast because her pupils have taken part. The children are trained to lead, share, adapt and create singing games, a teacher is trained to support them in that role and comprehensive resources are provided.
I walk away from Arnhem Wharf primary school with Sally Beamish’s music and Carol Ann Duffy’s words ringing in my head – and remembering the excited commitment of the children preparing to sing alongside professionals in a prestigious central London concert hall. I expect the children are rattling with it too. Yet another example of the arts energetically in action and making a difference to people.
www.Excathedra.co.uk @excathedrachoir Education co-ordinator:
Myriam Toumi. 0121 616 3412