University orchestra performs to show ‘joy of music’ to 100 primary school pupils

Stuart Dunlop, director of music at UEA, introduces musicians of the UEA Student Symphony Orchestra to an audience of primary school pupils from Costessey and Norwich. Picture: Neil Hall (Image: Neil Hall)

Primary school children from four schools in Norfolk were treated to a performance by the University of East Anglia's (UEA) Student Symphony Orchestra.

Edna, year six pupil at Costessey Junior School, is shown how to play the oboe by Katie Carvell, an occupational theray undergraduate at UEA. Picture: Neil Hall (Image: Neil Hall)

More than 100 schoolchildren in years four to six, from Queenshill Primary and Costessey Junior in Costessey, and Edith Cavell Academy and Valley Primary Academy in Norwich, listened to six pieces from composers including Beethoven, Dvorak and Bernstein.

Aleks (left), year six pupil at Valley Primary School in Norwich, is shown how to play the Clarsach (a small harp), by Sophie Darbyshire, who studies physiotherapy at UEA. Picture: Neil Hall (Image: Neil Hall)

Twelve students from UEA's Music Centre performed the pieces with instruments ranging from trombones and oboes to the Clarsach, a Gaelic folk instrument, and a string quartet.

Ellis, year five pupil at Costessey Junior School, plays the violin with Ollie Maxwell, a student at UEA. Picture: Neil Hall (Image: Neil Hall)

Darren McMorran, from the UEA outreach team, which organised the event, said: 'Music has become a rarity in some primary and secondary schools' timetables and we wanted to show the joy that music can bring. '