Springwood High School hosted The Musical Instrument Teaching Initiative (MITI) Summer Get Together, which saw around 160 children from 18 different primary schools join forces to play their instruments.

Organised by the West Norfolk Academies Trust, of which Springwood is a member, the event united Year 5 and 6 pupils from schools involved in the Trust’s MITI scheme, which was launched in 2019.

Among them were Clenchwarton, Gaywood, Heacham Junior, Snettisham, Walpole Cross Keys, and West Lynn, all of whom are fellow WNAT members.

“These workshops take place one per term in the four secondary schools within WNAT, before all the schools come together for the summer workshop,” said Robin Norman, who is Director of Music at both Springwood and WNAT.

“The children had been looking at a piece in their group lessons,” he continued. “This was the opportunity for them to come together and ‘play their part’, making the use of the opportunity to work together.”

Instrumental tutors worked with individual ensemble groups prior to the event, while the collaborative performance was overseen by Rob Galliard, who is responsible for primary instrument music within MITI.

“There’s nothing quite like playing together as a musician,” added Mr Norman. “It builds resilience and gives an opportunity to make friends, many of which will last a lifetime.

“These workshops are, for many, the first experience of this, but they light a spark that launches a life-long love of music and music making – what could be better?”