In Harmony pupils to play world premiere

Over 20 young musicians from Low Road Primary School in Hunslet, Leeds, are preparing to perform the world premiere of a new composition at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall this Sunday in a concert which will also feature the inspirational 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year Sheku Kanneh-Mason.

The string players, who have all learnt to play an orchestral instrument as part of In Harmony Opera North, will join forces with their contemporaries from In Harmony Liverpool and In Harmony Newcastle to perform composer Stephen Deazley’s new work The Wonder Files in its entirety.

The piece was commissioned by Sage Gateshead especially for the combined children’s symphony orchestra as part of last year’s Great Exhibition of the North. Deazley took the young players as his inspiration, with their dreams, ideas and wonderings providing all the ideas for the music. Sunday sees the culmination of a tour which has taken in their home cities of Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool, and will be the first time the young musicians from all three In Harmony groups will have played the final section of Deazley’s composition together.

Low Road Primary School joined the In Harmony community residency programme in 2015. One of the aims of the project is to build the confidence and self-worth of the children by giving them the opportunity to perform to different audiences in prestigious venues across the country. The pupils going to Liverpool are all members of Low Road’s String Orchestra and for many this will be their first visit to the city.

The Wonder Files are being performed as part of a concert celebrating young performers from across Merseyside, Newcastle and Leeds. The performance starts at 1.30pm on Sunday 10 March at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Tickets are free but should be booked in advance.