PHOTOS: Annual schools singing festival in Lancaster hailed as "wonderful week of music making"

Monday, 25 March 2024 08:29

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Children performing at the Lancaster and District Schools Singing Festival at the Ashton Hall in Lancaster

Talented pupils from across the region have once again packed into Lancaster Town Hall to show off their singing skills at a popular schools festival.

The annual Lancaster and District Schools Singing Festival was held last week at the historic Ashton Hall and was hailed as "a wonderful week of music making" by organisers.

More than 1500 children from 33 primary schools took part, entertaining their families and friends, as well as local dignitaries including Councillor Roger Dennison, mayor of Lancaster.

The festival was created in 1948 by a group of volunteer teachers and musicians, to gather the young people of our region to share music.

This year's event, which ran from March 18-22, was themed on the Olympic Games, with it being an Olympic year.

Here are pupils from Mossgate Primary School holding the Olympic rings at the festival. Image from Mossgate Primary School Facebook page.

Schools who were involved included Ryelands Primary and Nursery School, Willow Lane Community Primary School, Storth CE Primary School, Sandylands Primary School, Dolphinholme CE Primary School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School - Morecambe, Mossgate Primary School, Winmarleigh Church of England Primary School, West End Primary School, Bowerham Primary and Nursery School, St Mary & St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Garstang, Christ Church School, Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School, Slyne with Hest St Lukes CE school, Overton St. Helen’s CE Primary School, Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Carnforth Community Primary School, Cawthorne's Endowed Primary & Nursery School, Lancaster Road Primary School, Scotforth St. Paul's C of E Primary & Nursery School, Caton Primary School, Arkholme C of E Primary School, Christ Church Lancaster, Torrisholme Community Primary School, Ellel St Johns Church of England Primary School, Thurnham Glasson C of E Primary School, Bolton-le-Sands C of E Primary School, Cockerham Parochial Church of England Primary School, St Bernadette's Catholic Primary, St Wilfrid's CE Primary School and Grosvenor Park Primary School.

Emma Williams, from Lancashire Music Hub, said: "This year we have over 3500 children and over 100 schools involved in our county-wide Lancashire Sings! events.

"The benefits of singing are widely known and bringing local schools together to sing alongside inspirational musicians and sharing their skills with audiences from their community, creates long lasting musical memories and hopefully a lifelong love for singing."

Daniel Hargreaves, head teacher at Bolton le Sands CofE Primary School, said: “The Lancaster and District Schools' Singing Festival is a highlight of the school calendar as it is a memorable and valuable opportunity for children across our local community to unite in music, movement, and song.

"Watching the children beam and shine as they sing their hearts out is truly magical and listening to parents (and staff) talk about how they remember attending when they were at school makes it worthwhile. Thank you to all those involved for keeping a long-standing tradition alive!”

Gail Bowskill, head teacher at Caton Primary School, said: "Thank you for a brilliant experience for the children and me! We loved the song choices, had so much fun in rehearsals and found you totally inspirational. The whole experience was wonderful, and we can't wait to take part once again.”

Here are some more photos from the event. Credit: Lancaster and District Schools Singing Festival.