Pupils from Scarborough's St George's Primary School attend day of music making in memory of late composer

Since its creation, 5,000 children have been receiving weekly music lesson within their schools, subsidised by the Richard Shepherd Music Foundation.

This year’s Make Music Day event gave some of them even more opportunities to express themselves musically by spending the day singing, playing instruments, and composing music in the magnificent Chapter House of York Minster and the stunning Creative Centre at York St John University.

Cathy Grant from the Foundation said: “The day is all about celebrating children's natural musical talent, supporting their wellbeing, and raising children's musical aspirations.

“What drives us forward is the ambition that every child should have music in their lives. It shouldn’t be for the privileged few. I’ve been lucky over the last two years to witness the transformational experience of music for young people.

“Working alongside our partners, we’re seeking to remove the geographical and financial barriers to a high-quality music education so that every child can experience the great many educational, health and well-being benefits it can bring.

“I can get absolutely lost in the swathes of research that seek to prove the benefits of music education, particularly from an early age. Researchers are even working on proving the ‘psychoneuroimmunological’ benefits – essentially evidencing how music is not only good for our minds, but also the long-term health of our bodies. And what’s not to like about schools being full of music and singing?”

As well as an inspiring day for young people, the event will give the Foundation’s supporters a glimpse of what the Foundation has done since it was created in 2021.

“We’ve got ambitious plans,” continued Cathy. “We aim, over the next three years, to allow over 10,000 young people to receive a high-quality music lesson each week and to have the opportunity to join a choir, to come along to a music holiday club, or take up an instrument.

“The day’s activities will include plenty of singing, a folk workshop, an introduction to the Gamelan – a set of huge traditional percussion instruments – and the chance to play the ‘Bamboo Tamboo’ – an instrument that can be used to play vibrant Caribbean grooves.

“We hope it will not only inspire the children but also the teachers accompanying them.”