Music Service

Schools Music Festival history

This event started in 1997 with some 600 pupils from 20 schools joining together to show off the vocal talent of our Primary school children. Simultaneously, the first Hackney Schools Dance event was staged at Millfields School and together, the Hackney Schools Music Festival was born.   Now mainly staged at the Roundchapel Centre for Performing arts, it attracts an estimated 4,500 children aged 5-18 from around 62 schools across the borough.

To date, it has grown to encompass Infant and Junior singing, Instrumental performances, a Secondary school day and other showcase events featuring Orchestra’s and Ensembles.

Infant and Junior Singing Events
Schools participate in a shared vocal performance and work with professional musicians. Song resource packs are made available on registration, offering ongoing material for schools to use in concerts, assemblies and classrooms throughout the year.

Dance Event
This is a vibrant grass roots sharing event. The aim is to acknowledge and celebrate the often “hidden” clubs and regular activities that are encouraged and supported within our school communities by a growing number of enthusiasts, tutors, teachers & volunteers. The Music Service supports dance in recognition that movement plays a significant part in the development of musicianship and is an integral part of the performing arts tradition of many cultures. This event offers participants the opportunity to share work created at school, including those supported by the LT Music Service African Dance and Drumming residences in schools.

Instrumental Event
This provides school instrumentalists an opportunity to take part in a borough performance event. It showcases the diverse range of instrumental music making in Hackney schools across three performances.  Activities also include performances of specially commissioned music, whole class compositions and ensembles and feature music from a range of cultures and genres.

Secondary Event
This event showcases the musical achievements of the borough’s Secondary schools.  Performances include vocal and instrumental ensembles from both individual schools and borough enterprises. Collaboration with professional musicians is a usual feature at these events.

Main Venue
The Roundchapel Centre for Performing Arts
Lower Clapton Road,
London E5 (view streetmap)