You can keep your easy listening festive musak, piped into shopping centres. Nothing makes me feel more Christmassy than a carol service.
When you’re a nipper, with a tea-towel or tinsel halo wrapped around your head, you take for granted being able to belt out Little Donkey at school Nativities and concerts.
But once you’re a grown-up and get caught up in the commercial trappings of Christmas, you can lose sight of the simple pleasures of communal carol-singing.
Having struggled to get that festive feeling this year, I was starting to think the season would come and go before I’d even noticed. But, thanks to a gathering of young Bradford musicians, the ghost of Christmas past appeared to remind me of the joy of a festive sing-along.
Last week, I joined an audience at Bradford Cathedral for a Christmas music festival presented by Education Bradford’s Music and Arts Service. The event was a celebration of music by the Bradford Youth Wind Orchestra and students from primary schools across the district.
It started with a lovely candlelit procession by choirs from High Crags and Russell Hall primary schools, then the Bradford Youth Wind Orchestra performed some festive favourites, including a moving medley of music from The Snowman.
Next came the Year 5 cellists from Wellington Primary School, performing a French Christmas folk tune. It was an impressive performance from a group of youngsters who recently took up the cello at ‘have a go’ sessions.
After we’d all belted out O Little Town of Bethlehem, the Combined Steel Pan Ensemble – children from Horton Park, Hoyle Court and Sandal primary schools – performed Caribbean versions of Silent Night and Jingle Bells. Since my nephew, Jack, was one of the performers I had a proud auntie moment, suddenly finding something in the corner of my eye…
By the time the youth wind orchestra returned to perform a wonderful medley of John Williams film scores, including the heart-melting ET theme, (not strictly Christmas music but, hey, who doesn’t watch family movies this time of year?), and we’d all sung Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, I was feeling as festive as the Christmas tree fairy.
This was a music festival for Bradford to be proud of. And a timely reminder of the value of music tuition in schools, giving children chance to learn an instrument and enjoy the thrill of live performance.
Jack loves the steel pans. “I’m desperate to play them again, they make a lovely noise,” he said when he started learning. For music to inspire such joy in a young child is one of the best Christmas presents they could have.
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