Sarah Hoyle
Success Story: The Sgt Pepper Project
“I wanted to design a project that would bring together some of the musical ‘sub groups’ working and performing in schools. Typically these are choirs, orchestras, wind/brass ensembles and of course rock/pop bands.” – David Ashworth
“Usually the choirs and ensembles are led by music staff and are challenged and encouraged to perform to high standards, taking on more and more ambitious works. Rock bands are usually left to do their own thing. The school music department will often help in finding space and equipment and help with performance opportunities for rock bands, but tend not to get involved with the musical development of these self managing groups.
However, we now have the opportunity to go further with rock and pop in schools. Musical Futures and significantly more instrumental tuition on rock and pop instruments, means that we now have players of these instruments in these genres playing to very high standards. So now we can challenge and encourage these students to be much more ambitious — to raise the bar far higher than they might realise they are capable of achieving.
Sgt Pepper is one way, a great way, of doing just that. Listen to the students and teachers tell their own story.” – David Ashworth
