Bristol Beacon schools’ live singing and playing event for Sing Up Day We can be Heroes!

The first combined virtual event for the primary schools’ singers and musicians across the city will take place on 29 June 2021 between 1.30-3.00pm. There will be over 1500 children involved with special guest?Naomi Wilkinson from CBBC?hosting the event.?

The theme of the event will be ‘Heroes’, which celebrates all the ‘heroes’ the children have seen over the last 18 months that have brought positivity to them and their communities.

The event will be broadcast live from Horfield Primary School, conducted by teacher Kirsten Cunningham and Bristol Beacon’s Laurie Stewart, and streamed to schools across Bristol for Key Stage 2 children to unite in singing and playing together.

The event aims to build bridges through song, raise confidence and self-esteem by learning and sharing music. The schools involved have been working hard to learn the songs, which will be accompanied by a house band of musicians accompanying children forming the Primary Orchestra. There will also be a special performance of?Over the Rainbow, arranged by Claire Alsop.

The programme has been largely drawn from Bristol Beacon’s partnership with national singing organisation Sing Up?(https://www.singup.org/summer-of-singing). This event is Bristol Beacon’s celebration of Sing Up Day 2021, which takes place the following day on 30 June 2021. Every year since 2010, Sing Up sets aside an extra special day to celebrate the power of song and spread a little singing. Those involved will harness the undoubtable benefits singing brings, and begin the recovery process after the year and a half we’ve had.

Global?Goals?(https://www.globalgoals.org/) will also be talking to the schools at the event to highlight the Bristol 17 campaign shining a light on sustainability heroes, ahead of the COP 26 conference in Glasgow. In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals (officially known as the Sustainable Development Goals). These goals aim to create a better world by 2030, by ending poverty, fighting inequality and addressing the urgency of climate change.

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS – about 1,500 children

• Air Balloon Hill Primary School – Years 3-6
• Brunel Field – Years 3-6
• Cathedral Primary School – Years 3-5
• Greenfield E-Act Academy – Years 3-4
• May Park Primary School – Years 3-6
• Nova Primary School – School Orchestra
• Redmaids' High Junior School – KS2
• Shirehampton Primary School – Years 3-4
• Southville Primary – Year 5
• St Barnabas CE VC Primary School – Years 3-6
• The Dolphin School – Years 3-4
• Whitehall primary – Years 3-6

CBBC Presenter and special guest Naomi Wilkinson said “I’m delighted to be taking part in this year's combined Primary Orchestra and singing event with Bristol Beacon. Music has always been a big part of my life and I’m thrilled that so many children are going to be taking part. Singing and playing together is one of life’s joys and so I am in no doubt that there will be big smiles across the whole of Bristol on Tuesday afternoon. After all the challenges young people have had to endure this past year, it’s going to be incredibly uplifting to unite our voices and make some fabulous music! I’m particularly looking forward to hearing from the some of the young participants on the big day – you never quite know what they’re going to say!”

Chris Green, Education Manager at Bristol Beacon said “We’re so excited that we’re able to hold this event this year for KS2 children across the city. Although it’s a little different to the end of year celebration we’d usually hold I know how hard the schools have worked in preparing the children and they will have a great time.”