Classical music takes Doncaster school students on exciting journey of discovery

A classic work by composer Schubert has been inspiring school students in Doncaster and beyond to get singing and creating music.
Students from Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster taking psrt in the Schubert in Schools project. Pic: Fraser WilsonStudents from Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster taking psrt in the Schubert in Schools project. Pic: Fraser Wilson
Students from Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster taking psrt in the Schubert in Schools project. Pic: Fraser Wilson

The Music in the Round Schubert in Schools project used Winter Journeys, a translation of Schubert’s Winterreise song cycle commissioned by classical pianist Chris Glynn. He has been involved in the project. Fraser said the translations are meant to be easily understood by a modern audience. Music in the Round singer in residence, Roderick Williams, had been working on recording them. Learning and participation manager Fraser Wilson said: “We thought, ‘what an amazing vehicle for us to continue our ongoing mission of bringing music and people together and opening it up for people to work together’. “We’ve been taking Schubert as a starting point and enabling students to compose their own creative responses in whatever form, style or genre they like.” Doncaster school students took part in a performance at Cast. Fraser said: “25 lieder singers who are 12 years old have learnt it off by heart and come up with their own ideas about what it means to be lost in the snow in this voyage through grief and desolation.” Fraser said: “Cast was amazing. It was great to see the young people singing on stage and owning it. “They were every bit professional musicians. The work they must have put into it in class really showed.  “They really appreciated the opportunity and grasped it and you could see how much they got from it.”  Now there are plans to do it again, bigger and better,  bringing whole class singing and group composition to students beginning secondary school.

Fraser said: “We could show how young people are better able to be creative and have musical opportunities that could open doors for them.” Learn more about the project at www.musicintheround.co.uk