EYO Outreach

The EYO Roadshow 2018

With the EYO Roadshow still going strong after five years, twenty-two EYO members embarked on a week’s worth of sharing music. Travelling around West London, they engaged with numerous students from seven different schools illuminating the minds of young people aged 7 to 12 with their knowledge of music and grabbing their attention with some magnificent playing.

Themes such as Star Warsand Jurassic Parkby the famous film composer John Williams had many of the young people whispering with excitement amongst themselves once they recognised the tunes. The Roadshow team also played a Disney Medley with melodies from film favourites Aladdin, the Lion King, the Little Mermaid andBeauty and the Beastwhich caused the children to beam with delight, with one school clapping and swaying along with uncontainable happiness.

Playing the game, ‘What is the name of the instrument?’, impressed the EYO Roadshow Team when the students recognised rarer instruments such as the bassoon, oboe, double bass and viola. When Charlotte introduced the piccolo there was a sea of amazed faces and then a burst of eager hands when they recognised the piccolo solo in during Stars and Stripes Forever. They were also captivated by Michael’s wonderful demonstration of seagull and creaky door noises on the double bass, demonstrating a few of the other interesting sounds that an instrument can make.

Breaking up into our sections and into different stations let the young people have an opportunity to try playing them for themselves, thanks to the help of Ealing Music Service who generously let us borrow their instruments. It gave the players satisfaction when seeing students take an interest or being naturally able to play an instrument. Gleams of joy from a young person when first being able to play a note or even a simple tune, brought confidence within them, edging them on to learn the instrument in the future.

Seeing the enthusiasm from all the schools displayed to me how the Roadshow Team were creating excitement, joy and opening the sounds of new and peculiar instruments to young minds. That little time spent with them could influence students to change their lives by taking up a new instrument or simply giving them a new admiration for music because we EYO players have shown them that orchestras and classical music are not in fact ‘dull’ or ‘just for grown-ups’ but can be loved by all ages. The Roadshow Team have educated the young people in a fun way which has been appreciated by all the students we have visited.

EYO players thinking about joining in the future, I can assure you that this is an opportunity that you do not want to miss because you are able to influence future musicians who would not have picked up that instrument had it not been for your guidance and passion for music.

Grace Pang

The EYO Roadshow 2018 team:

Violins: Lara Bondarenko, James Curran, Zoe Goreham, Pandora Jones, Grace Kennedy, Ellie Nanni, Ted Traeger. Viola: Elsa Rapisarda. Cellos: Clara Brown, Ines Gil Fonfria, Max Lorenz. Double Bass: Michael Vangelatos. Flutes: Charlote Grimwade, Simon Kelly, Trini Prasadam. Clarinets: Molly Bradley, Ruby Stimson. Oboe: Sharifah Dania. Bassoon: Izzie McGonigal. Saxophone: Grace Pang. Horns: Benedict McGonigal, Kian Parsapour.

Project leaders: Lee Marchant, Esther Sheridan

Schools visited 2018: Alec Reed Academy, Downe Manor Primary School, Vicar’s Green Primary School, Little Ealing Primary School, Our Lady of the Visitation School, Oakland’s Primary School, St Mark’s Primary School