Children at two Cwmbran primary schools composed a ‘song of hope’ for Ukraine.
Year four pupils at The Federation of Blenheim Road Community and Coed Eva Primary Schools did a special performance of their song for their parents and carers on Wednesday afternoon.
Teachers Lee Gwilliam and Nic Perry invited Wayne Beecham from Cerdd Torfaen Music to work with their classes.
Mr Gwilliam said: “Working with Mr Beecham from Cerdd Torfaen Music, children in year 4 collaborated to compose music and lyrics for a song related to their topic for this term. A discussion arose from the situation in Ukraine and the children wanted to compose a song of hope.
“Working in groups they first wrote the lyrics and they were given a structure to follow and shown where to use rhyming words. When the verse and chorus were complete the children were given a set of instructions on how to compose a suitable tune using glockenspiels.
“In year 4 the children had previously spent a term learning the skills required to play the glockenspiel so were confident with technique and note reading so were able to fully concentrate on their compositions. Mr Beecham took the ideas away and organised them and after discussing the chord structure with the children he put together the accompaniment.”
The children invited their parents and carers into school on Wednesday afternoon for a performance of their song accompanied by Mr Beecham on the piano.
Mr Beecham said: “It has been wonderful working with the children at The Federation of Blenheim Road Community and Coed Eva Primary Schools this year. Their enthusiasm and energetic approach to music has been wonderful and I hope I’ve inspired a lifelong love of music in the children. I am very much looking forward to working with them again next year and am excited about their future journey and further exploration in music and the expressive arts.”
Mr Gwilliam added: “The children have thoroughly enjoyed the project and achieved more than they ever thought possible. They have developed confidence through music and the arts and brought that confidence back to the classroom where it had been evident in other subjects.”
