R-L: HND Music students Yip Kwok (keyboards), Alex Gillespie (guitar) and Lorna Foyle (bass) in rehearsal with some of the children involved in the Interfaith Concert.

Stratford-upon-Avon College music students performed in National Interfaith Week alongside children from local primary schools.

Last month the Higher National Diploma (HND) Music students performed in a band for an event which was part of National Interfaith Week, a week celebrating religious diversity in the community. Two hundred children from eight local primary schools came together as the Worcester Interfaith Choir to perform at Nunnery Wood High School.

The Reverent Duncan Ballard said, “Children can show all of us the way to live and work and pray together – the harmony of a choir singing is a vivid symbol of how we can be.”

Music Co-ordinator, Paula Evans worked with the children’s choir and the HND students, alongside Music Lecturer at the College, Chris Long. Paula commented, “The band were extremely professional and accompanied the children with real attention to detail and commitment.”

Chris Long said, “The students gave something magical to these children who rarely get the opportunity to access live music in this way. They have gained themselves excellent grades and an annual gig if they want it!”

After the concert the children tied their prayers for peace to 100% bio-degradable sky lanterns, which were then launched into the sky. 

The HND students are now turning their attention to the creation of a show that will see them play alongside multi-instrumentalist, David Coulter, one-time member of the Pogues who has also recently worked as a Musical Director for Marianne Faithful and Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorrilaz). After this show, which will take place in January, the students fly out for a week in New York, which will serve as the stimulus for their final performance project.

For more information, please contact Marketing on 01789 266245 or email marketing@stratford.ac.uk.|