Pupils join Olympic Fanfare
HUNDREDS of Dungannon schoolchildren were filled with Olympian spirit when they were given the chance to play iconic Olympic themes with the Ulster Orchestra.
Organised by the Ulster Orchestra’s Education Department, the Olympic Fanfare 2012 concerts included the Grammy-winning Olympic Fanfare and Theme written by John Williams and the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire score composed by Vangelis.
More than 400 pupils from ten primary schools in the Dungannon area took part in the two concerts at Dungannon Leisure Centre.
Funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Project Funding and supported by the Southern Education and Library Board, the hour long concert also included Williams’ atmospheric theme from Jaws, the famous sea shanty, the Sailor’s Hornpipe and Badelt’s popular Pirates of the Caribbean theme.
Tracy Marshall, the Ulster Orchestra’s Head of Development said the music would ignite a flame of enthusiasm in the young people for popular, classical music and create anticipation for London 2012.
“The Ulster Orchestra musicians look forward every year to the Summer Education Roadshows and a chance to present some of the world’s greatest music to the children of Northern Ireland. We hope our Olympic theme has really got them in the mood for this summer’s great celebration of sport and culture.
“The Ulster Orchestra plays to around 100,000 people every year and thousands of children also get to know us through our award-winning education and outreach projects,” she added.
Before the concert, the children took part in a series of preparatory workshops that helped them explore their natural creativity by composing their own musical pieces, as well as learning the rhythms for some of the music performed today.
Tracy said: “We want the children to experience the excitement and thrill of a live musical performance, to learn about the different sections of a symphony orchestra and give the children a chance to develop their own listening, composing and performing skills.
“The project also has a strong recycling theme running through it as the children were encouraged to make instruments they made themselves and bring them to the workshops. One of the children later even had the chance to conduct the orchestra.”
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Weather for Dungannon
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
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Light rain
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