The Cathedral began its Music Outreach Programme in 2003, when, working with Sunderland Local Authority, the Cathedral organists took the Choristers to visit Primary schools – to sing to them, and to introduce children, who may never have experienced music like this, to choral music. There is a national shortage of teachers who can introduce children to such singing and this was recognised by government, who, from 2005, funded the Chorister Outreach Programme (COP), to which 43 Cathedrals eventually signed up. When “Sing Up” was rolled out in 2007 it linked up with COP to work alongside in a mutually supportive manner. With this funding the Durham programme expanded to cover schools, not only in Sunderland, but also in County Durham and South Tyneside. Children in many different circumstances and of widely differing musical talents were given the chance to widen their experiences, and the programme opened a whole new musical world to thousands of children.

Following the visit to the schools of the Cathedral choristers, the Cathedral’s Director of Music Outreach, Mish Kelly, has given further music sessions in 8 new schools each term, working with the whole of Keystage 2 (KS2, 7 - 11 year olds) as well as the chosen 30 children in each school who will sing in the Cathedral. To support teachers after the project there is follow-up training and repertoire sessions. All the hard work culminates in a termly concert at the Cathedral, when they perform in this wonderful surrounding and are joined by the Cathedral choristers. These are lively musical occasions enjoyed by the performers and a supportive audience of families, friends and Cathedral staff and volunteers and visitors. Feedback from Teachers and Parents relates changes in many of the pupils who have taken part in the termly work and the concert, noticeably from children who are not always engaged in general school work; they have grown in confidence, found it easier to memorise information when it is sung, have displayed inclusive social skills in the musical games, and focus better at general work after singing sessions.

For all children who wish to develop their love of singing, there is also the Saturday morning choir – Durham Cathedral Young Singers – for 8 - 13 year-olds. This choir takes part in concerts, festivals and special events DCCA has provided concert clothing for them. In 2010 they performed in the Durham Mysteries, in the second play of the cycle, The Creation, in the Cathedral, as part of a cast of 250.  For those youngsters who enjoy singing solo there is a week long holiday Opera course, - Durham Cathedral Youth Opera (DCYS), where children memorise an opera of up to an hour in length. The ripples of this work is far-reaching - a number of teachers have found the confidence to join local choirs, and there is even a DCYS parent who now sings Tenor in one of the Chamber Choirs at the Sage. Love of singing spreads joyously throughout the community.

Many children in the Outreach Programme have discovered talents they did not know they possessed and have wanted to join the Cathedral choir. One such was Liam Jones, who became a chorister and BBC Chorister of the Year in 2010. Altogether in the last two years twelve children from DCYS and the schools Outreach work have moved on to the Cathedral Choir. Two children have joined the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, and two have graduated to older choirs at the Sage Gateshead.

Now however government funding is no longer available, but the Cathedral is determined to keep its Music Outreach Programme; so recently Durham Cathedral and County Durham Community Foundation set up a £3m music endowment fund, to be held by County Durham Community Foundation, specifically to provide sustainable funding into the future of the programme.

In order to maintain the traditionally high standards of the Cathedral Choir, all the choristers are boarding pupils at the Cathedral’s Chorister School, and although there are some bursaries presently available, the boarding fees are out of the reach of many families. So the endowment fund will also provide full annual bursaries for up to 10 choristers.

Donations to the fund are welcome – large and small. Some have already been received, including one from Sting.

If you would like to donate to the fund, please contact Christina Rackley at the County Durham Community Foundation –  christina@cdcf.org.uk or 0191 378 6345.

Alternatively see www.cdcf.org.uk or contact Gaye Kirby gaye.kirby@durhamcathedral.co.uk or 0191 375 1222

 

Outreach