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Hundreds of school kids from six Birmingham schools have been showcasing their musical talents with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Along with musicians, dancers and composers from CBSO and Birmingham Conservatoire, and professional storytellers, the children took Dvořák’s New World Symphony as their inspiration.

Hiawatha's wedding feast

After watching a CBSO performance of the piece at Symphony Hall in February, pupils from King Edwards Five Ways, Northfield Manor, Greenmeadow Primary, Woodgate Primary, St. Michael’s Primary and Princethorpe Junior performed music and dances inspired by the Czech composer’s most famous work.

Dvořák composed the symphony during a visit to the USA in 1893, taking as his inspiration Native American and African slave songs, and an epic poem by English poet Henry Wordsworth Longfellow.

Wedding feast

The Song of Hiawatha recounts the legend of a Native American brave and his lover, Minnehaha. Children from Greenmeadow Primary used sound and movement to tell the story of Hiawatha’s wedding feast, which inspired the third movement of the New World Symphony.

Musicians from King Edwards Five Ways

Storyteller Dez and his partner Ali from the Mythstories Museum of Myth and Fable in Shropshire helped the children unravel Hiawatha’s tale, as Dez explains: “One of the major things about the wedding feast is the after wedding entertainment. We’ve taken a story told at Hiawatha’s wedding feast, and turned it into a spoken word opera. The kids have really enjoyed themselves, taking on the roles of storytellers and musicians.”

Older children from King Edwards Five Ways brought Dvořák’s 116 year old symphony bang up to date, with modern instruments. Fifteen year olds Josh and Owen would not look out of place in a garage rock band, but Josh explains that his electric guitar brought something new to the piece:

Guitar toting teens

“I enjoyed putting effects through my guitar, and bringing the bass in. Owen’s acoustic guitar added to the atmosphere.” Guitar toting teens aren’t known for their passion for classical music, so how does Josh feel about it? “The workshops have been fun, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with someone else’s music.”

Greenmeadows Primary perform their piece

The project was supported by Birmingham City Council’s Creative Future Award. CBSO’s Education Manager Lisa Mallett, who helped to coordinate the New Worlds Project, says the orchestra hopes to continue its collaboration with local schools:

“We’re heavily committed to music in education. Our ethos is simply to inspire a passion for music in the young people that we work with, helping them to develop their musical skills and building their confidence and creativity.

"It’s really important to get kids into classical music at a young age, because it’s an acquired taste, but once they start listening to it and enjoying it, they’re hooked!”