We are proudly celebrating our county by shining a spotlight on the people that make it special. This is Extraordinary Essex and it includes our Essex Music Service.
The Essex Music Service is full of passionate people. They help young students learn instruments and thrive making music. This means providing opportunities to those with little exposure to music education.
Sarah Goldsmith, Schools Music Curriculum Officer, has worked with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra to launch orchestras in three Harlow schools.
She said: “We then brought these three groups together so they could play as one large orchestra.
“As a musician, it can be really lonely learning to play your instrument at home, but actually the magic happens when we come together.”
Joe is the Creative Director of LMTO Upbeat Programme. His mission is to transform secondary school students with no musical experience into concert performers in eight weeks.
He said: “It’s so nice to see the social cohesion going on here, people making new friendships.”
Carla Mulholland is Head of Music at Mark Hall Academy. She wants the students at her school to have the same opportunities she had growing up.
She said: “I wanted them to be able to play an orchestral instrument free of charge.”
Fortunately, LMTO Upbeat has enabled Carla to do just that. She continued: “To have this project then be able to play with a professional orchestra was just incredible.”
Watch the full video on our Extraordinary Essex channels.
Find out more about the Essex Music Service and LMTO Upbeat on our website.