Thameside Schools Music Association Recorder Festival
The Thameside Schools Music Association, chaired by Rosemary Dymond, has been running a Recorder Festival and a Choral Festival every year since around the 1940s. The organisation exists to promote music making in the area as part of and outside of the curriculum. The TSMA festivals bring children together from many different backgrounds to make music together, thus providing community cohesion.
This year, TSMA have begun working with Kent Music to help ensure that the festivals can continue. The Recorder Festival this year took place on the 25th and 26th April 2017 and was held in St George’s Church, Gravesend, for the first time. The church is a cosy and picturesque venue with outside picnic space, so the venue change was well received by participating schools.
Around 127 pupils took part in the festival over the two days, representing Cecil Road Primary School, Painters Ash Primary School, St Joseph’s Preparatory School, Manor Community Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Shears Green Junior School, Riverview Infant School, St John’s Catholic Primary School and Gravesend Grammar School. Each school took part in collaborative and solo recorder pieces on their chosen date with rehearsals from 9.30am to 2.30pm and a performance for families and invited guests from 7:30pm.
The musical director for the Recorder Festival was the fantastic Karen Barton and a live musical accompaniment was provided by Kerne Clemence on piano and Richard Lock on double bass. There was a real community feel to the festival and the sectional rehearsals were kindly led by music teachers from participating schools, Stephanie Jarvis who kindly volunteered her time and Lucy Duff from the Kent Music team.
We were delighted to greet the Deputy Mayor of Gravesham, Counselor Harold Craske, and the Deputy Mayoress, Mrs Veronica Craske, on the second performance evening and look forward to welcoming them to the Choral Festival in the summer term.
Preparations are now underway for the TSMA Choral Festival on the 27th June and 4th July 2017. Nine schools have already booked to participate across the two days so it promises to be a good show! Schools in North Kent can contact lduff@kent-music.com for more information.