A group of students from Shireland CBSO Academy took to the stage at the University of Birmingham’s Elgar Concert Hall, performing alongside the University’s Summer Festival Orchestra during a special visit to the campus.
The event gave students first-hand experience of music-making at degree level, while providing an insight into university life and the opportunities available to them beyond school.
Before the performance, students toured the university campus before joining the University Summer Festival Orchestra for performances of Mambo by Leonard Bernstein and Juba Dance by Florence Price.
The students impressed both the musicians and conductor with their musical ability, confidence and professionalism, quickly integrating into the ensemble and rising to the challenge of performing alongside university-level musicians.
Rehearsing and performing in the renowned Elgar Concert Hall gave students the opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice in a professional performance environment. Working alongside experienced university musicians also provided a deeper understanding of the discipline, collaboration and commitment involved in ensemble playing at this level.
David Harris, Assistant Principal and Director of Music at Shireland CBSO Academy, said: “It was wonderful to see our students step into that rehearsal and immediately become part of the ensemble. They listened carefully, responded to the conductor and to the musicians around them, and approached the music with real maturity. By the end of the rehearsal, every one of them looked like they belonged in that orchestra, and that was a fantastic thing to see.”
The visit formed part of the Academy’s wider programme of music enrichment and career development opportunities within the music and creative industries. Through partnerships and collaborations with leading organisations and higher education institutions, students gain first-hand experience of different musical environments and can explore the range of pathways available within the sector.
For the students, working alongside university musicians offered a practical insight into studying music at higher education level and an opportunity to see the possibilities that could lie ahead in their own musical development.
The collaboration reflected the Academy’s commitment to taking music education beyond the classroom, giving students the chance to develop their musicianship alongside university performers while gaining a clearer insight into the opportunities and pathways available within music and the creative industries.
