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The BBC Symphony Orchestra in Northampton

04 July 2018

In June our Ten Pieces School Concerts headed to Northampton and the Barbican Centre in London with presenter Naomi Wilkinson, conductor Kerem Hasan and the BBC Symphony Orchestra! Children were taken on a magical journey to explore some of our Ten Pieces and given the chance to experience a live orchestral performance.

June and July 2018

We’ve been busy bees this month visiting the following places and organisations with our coaching from professional musicians for 10-18 year olds across the UK: Manor Longbridge School, Redbridge, Northampton Music and Performing Arts Trust, Osiris Ensemble, John Fisher School, Middlesbrough Town Hall, Eastbury Community School ARP for the Deaf, Southend Boys' Choir and Southend Girls' Choir!

Jamie Cullum at North Muirton Primary, Perth

25 May 2018

On Friday 25 May, schools across the UK held Ten Pieces Assemblies to celebrate BBC Music’s Biggest Weekend, a one-off music festival which brought the nation together for a feast of music and creativity.

22 and 23 February 2018

Join the BBC Ten Pieces and BBC Bitesize teams this Thursday and Friday (22-23 February 2018) at Europe’s largest conference and exhibition for anyone involved in music and drama education. The Music and Drama Education Expo takes place at the Olympia Exhibition Centre, London, doors open at 9am and close at 5pm each day.

Don't miss Ten Pieces Kerry Andrew giving a fireside chat at the event on Thursday 22 February at 1310.

8 February 2018

Naomi Wilkinson presented a schools concert performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall on 8th February. They played to an audience of 750 local school children who had submitted their creative responses - the Creative Responses were then shown on the big screen during the show. The event was staged in partnership with Horsecross Arts.

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra performed two other Ten Pieces concerts that week, one at Glasgow City Halls on the 7th February and a family concert on 11th February at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen.

Don't forget you can upload your Creative Responses for a chance to appear in the Ten Pieces Creative Response showcase on our website.

7 FEBRUARY 2018

Following the success of the pilot CPD Day held in December the BBC Symphony Orchestra are once again offering free CPD for primary school teachers focusing on using Ten Pieces with KS2/P5-7.

Taking place at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios on Monday 16 April 2018, the day is designed for primary school music teachers and specialists and will be led by members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and music leader Patrick Bailey. Activities will include learning how to create music using the Ten Pieces resources and getting tips for conducting and performing the arrangements.

Find out more about the day and how to apply on the BBC Symphony Orchestra website.

4 February 2018

The BBC Concert Orchestra had a great day working with Solihull music service as part of the Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme.

24 JANUARY 2018

Be a part of the BBC’s biggest ever celebration of music. The Biggest Weekend will take place on the 25 – 28 May, bringing the biggest artists in the world to all parts of the UK with live shows in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Be a part of this UK-wide celebration by putting on your own Ten Pieces Biggest Weekend Assembly. Either hold your assembly on Friday 25 May or on a day earlier that week that works for your school.

Find out more about how you can get involved with a Ten Pieces Biggest Weekend assembly, you can also sign up and receive a free pack to get you started.

12 DECEMBER 2017

The Ten Pieces uploader has now re-opened!

Upload your creative response videos to the Ten Pieces website to showcase your pupils' work in a special online showcase.

These responses can be in any art form, for example composition, dance, digital art or performance poetry. We are looking for responses from both primary and secondary school pupils.

Find out more about how to upload and read some top tips for filming and sending in your videos.

4 DECEMBER 2017

The first Ten Pieces CPD Day for primary teachers took place at the BBC's Maida Vale studios on Friday.

Around 50 teachers and music specialists from across the UK joined musicians and practitioners from the BBC Symphony Orchestra for sessions on composition and conducting.

Thanks to all the teachers who took part and got so creative with the Ten Pieces music! Numerous tips, ideas and potential opportunities were shared.

Are you looking for musical CPD training? Get in touch and we'll recommend a contact in your area.

24 NOVEMBER 2017

We've just launched our brand new blog written by Ten Pieces Champions about the events and activities they are hosting in their area.

Have a read of the first entry to find out about all the exciting plans for Bradford's upcoming Ten Pieces Festival in March.

Don't forget you can get in touch with your local Champion if you want to find out more about what's going on in your area.

If you're a Champion and are interested in submitting an entry to the blog, please email [email protected].

22 NOVEMBER 2017

A special BBC Family Concert with the Ulster Orchestra will celebrate the music of Ten Pieces in Belfast this Saturday.

If you didn't get tickets, listen back on BBC Radio Ulster's Classical Connections on Sunday 26 November, from 3pm.

Presented by John Toal and Naomi Wilkinson, the concert will feature music by Aaron Copland, John Adams, Gabriel Prokofiev and other Ten Pieces composers.

Hear John and Naomi give a sneak peek of what to expect and find out how illustrator Marcus Patton created the exciting concert poster.

13 NOVEMBER 2017

The Ten Pieces Nutcracker Live Lesson is now online! Catch up on everything that happened in a jam-packed half hour of dance and movement and its extra lesson for 7-11s.

Once you've seen the Live Lesson, why not record your shapes and dances as a creative response? There are lots of free teaching resources to help you get creative with Tchaikovsky's music, including MP3s, lesson plans and arrangements.

You'll be able to upload your creative responses to a special online showcase on the Ten Pieces website soon. Check back here for more details shortly - make sure you've signed up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates by email.

6 OCTOBER 2017

There's not long to go until our special Nutcracker Live Lesson on Monday 13 November.

Kicking off at 2pm, the lesson for 7-11s will be 30 minutes long and packed with dance and movement. It'll be the perfect way to develop creative responses to Tchaikovsky's magical music.

Get ready by downloading the lesson guide and learning about The Nutcracker with range of free teaching resources.

Join us on the day by watching live online from 2pm at bbc.co.uk/livelessons.

19 OCTOBER 2017

Applications for the Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme 2017/18 are now open.

The BBC Orchestras and Choirs are once again offering free coaching for young people across the UK. If you work with young musicians aged 10-18 years old and think a session with professional musicians could improve their musical experience and performance skills, we want to hear from you.

NB: Please note the deadline for applications has now passed.

18 OCTOBER 2017

Exciting Ten Pieces activities for the 2017/18 academic year have been announced.

Join us on 13 November for a special Nutcracker Live Lesson with dance and movement for 9-11s. It'll be the perfect way to develop creative responses to Tchaikovsky's music.

The Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme will return in 2018, offering young people the chance to work with professional musicians. Or why not come to a Ten Pieces School Concert and wow your class with live music?

Find out more about the activities and how you can get involved.

12 OCTOBER 2017

Learn how to get creative with your pupils using the new Ten Pieces repertoire at a free CPD Day.

Taking place at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios on Friday 1 December 2017, the day is designed for primary school music teachers and specialists and will be led by experienced practitioners and members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Activities will include learning how to create music using the Ten Pieces resources and getting tips for conducting and performing the arrangements.

Find out more about the day. Please note the deadline has passed and we are no longer accepting registrations.

9 OCTOBER 2017

All 10 new introduction films for the new set of Ten Pieces are now on YouTube!

Introduced by Naomi Wilkinson and Lemn Sissay, the animated short films are an exciting introduction to a range of new and iconic classical pieces.

After watching BBC Teach's Ten Pieces YouTube playlist, explore the pieces further using our free online resources, including lesson plans and arrangements.

Why not start with Symphony No. 1 in G major – Allegro by Saint-Georges and explore Black History Month in your music lessons with the incredible story of this pioneering composer.

20 SEPTEMBER 2017

Join us on Monday 13 November for a special Tchaikovsky-inspired event from BBC Live Lessons.

The Live Lessons team are working with the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet School to bring you a lesson full of dance and movement for 7 to 11s, using music from the latest set of Ten Pieces.

Students will learn to create their own dance moves to Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, making it a perfect way to develop creative responses.

The Live Lesson will be streamed for free online. Get ready by using our new range of resources for Tchaikovsky's music.

18 SEPTEMBER 2017

All 10 inspiring pieces from this year's set of Ten Pieces are now available and ready to explore.

Resources for music from Mason Bates, Elgar, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier Saint-Georges and Purcell are now online, joining Kerry Andrew, Copland, Dvořák, Orff, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky.

Explore the free classroom resources by piece - where will your Ten Pieces creative journey start?

Sign up to our mailing list to make sure you hear all of our upcoming news and let us know which piece you're working with first using the hashtag #BBCTenPieces!

11 SEPTEMBER 2017

The next set of free teaching resources for Ten Piecies III are now online!

Explore music from Aaron Copland, Carl Orff and Jean Sibelius with a range of teaching resources for 7-14s, including animated short films and downloadable classroom lesson plans.

Sign up to our mailing list and we'll let you know when the final batch of the pieces have been released.

Enjoying the new pieces? Let us know how you're using the resources using the hashtag #BBCTenPieces.

4 SEPTEMBER 2017

Brand new teaching resources for Ten Pieces III are now online and ready to use.

Explore films and other resources for Kerry Andrew's No Place Like, Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E minor, 'From the New World’ – Largo and Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers and Russian Dance from The Nutcracker.

More new resources for 7-14s for all of the new pieces will be made available throughout September.

Make sure you register to our mailing list to receive the latest news and website announcements.

30 AUGUST 2017

The first set of brand new resources for Ten Pieces III will be released on Monday!

Check back next week to see new short films, lesson plans, arrangements and more new musical resources for 7-14s.

Get ready for the next phase of the project by downloading all of the music from Ten Pieces III as free MP3s now.

You can also take a look at the Ten Pieces III repertoire and learn a little about each piece on the list.

18 AUGUST 2017

You can now listen to or download all of the music from Ten Pieces III!

The pieces are available as free MP3s. From Kerry Andrew to Mason Bates, why not select which piece you're going to explore first?

More free teaching resources for Ten Pieces III will be available online soon for use across the 2017/18 academic year, including animated short films for each piece, classroom lesson plans for primary and secondary teachers, and simplified arrangements for you to perform.

17 AUGUST 2017

Catch up on what happened at the first ever BBC Proms Children's Press Conference.

The conference took place backstage at the Ten Pieces Presents Prom on 23 July 2017.

BBC School Reporters and young people taking part in Ten Pieces had the chance to grill a panel of guests, including comedian Vicki Stone, musician Sasha Boult and Ten Pieces II composer Gabriel Prokofiev. The panel chatted about a range of topics, including what first inspired them to get into music. Four young reporters also had a chance to chat to Ten Pieces III composer Kerry Andrew and saxophonist Jess Gillam.

25 JULY 2017

Hear the world premiere of Kerry Andrew's new song for Ten Pieces III!

No Place Like was revealed at the BBC Proms as part of Ten Pieces Presents ... Sir Henry's Magnificent Musical Inspirations! and was brilliantly performed by the Ten Pieces Children's Choir under conductor Grace Rossiter.

The a cappella piece takes inspiration from words contributed by children from across the UK on the theme of home.

Take a listen and let us know how you'll be using it to get creative using the hashtag #BBCTenPieces on social media.

24 JULY 2017

You can now relive the magic and adventure of the Ten Pieces Presents Prom in full on Radio 3.

Led by ringleader Sir Henry Wood, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ten Pieces Children's Choir and some very special guests performed a range of stirring classical tunes, including the premiere of Kerry Andrew's new song No Place Like.

The Prom was broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall on Radio 3 - you can listen again on iPlayer for 30 days.

Check out Radio 3's Ten pieces that will make your kids instant classical music fans for more Proms performances to inspire young listeners.

19 JULY 2017

Ten Pieces is taking over the Royal Albert Hall this Sunday with theTen Pieces Presents ... Sir Henry's Magnificent Musical InspirationsProm!

If you can't join us there, don't forget to listen live on BBC Radio 3 on 23 July from 6pm.

As well as discovering how nature, history, literature and art have inspired composers to create musical masterpieces, we'll be premiering our new commission by Kerry Andrew for Ten Pieces III.

Get more information including ticket details on the BBC Proms website.

18 JULY 2017

The next phase of Ten Pieces gets going from the start of next term and there are several ways to stay up to date:

Join our mailing list:Make sure you're registered to be the first to hear all of our essential project news.

Bookmark the website: Check the Ten Pieces front page and Latest news page to get online updates and links.

Follow us on social media: You can also get recent news plus handy teaching resources by following BBC Teach's Twitter account. Let us know your own Ten Pieces updates by using the official hashtag #BBCTenPieces. We'd love to hear how you've been using the pieces!

3 JULY 2017

We will be premiering our new commission by Kerry Andrew at the Ten Pieces Presents Prom!

Join rollicking ringmaster Sir Henry Wood on Sunday 23 July for an exciting adventure for all the family, featuring composers including Beethoven, Copland, Elgar, Mozart, Respighi and Ravi Shankar. And to whet your appetite for Ten Pieces III, you can hear Kerry's new a cappella song for the first time.

Find ticket details on the BBC Proms website, or you can listen live on BBC Radio 3 on the day.

24 JULY 2017

Thanks to all the schools that have used the Ten Pieces uploader over the past two months.

We've received hundreds of imaginative creative responses and brilliant performances from across the UK.

The 2017 uploader has now closed. We will invite creative response submissions as part of the next phase of the project, which starts in the autumn term of 2017.

Check out our assembly showcase and creative showcase to see all the highlights from this year.

15 JUNE 2017

More than 100,000 pupils from over 500 schools have been taking part in Ten Pieces Assemblies across the UK to celebrate BBC Music Day 2017.

Thanks to all the teachers and pupils that have worked so hard to put together assemblies jam-packed with classical music and creativity. From a brand new musical to poetry and artwork, we've received an amazing range of performances, responses and interpretations of the Ten Pieces music.

Take a look at all the latest highlights from assemblies across the UK and find a full list of schools taking part in our assembly showcase.

25 MAY 2017

The Ten Pieces newsletter has now closed. If you want to be kept up to date with the Ten Pieces project, there are two ways you can stay in the loop:

1) Register to join the BBC Ten Pieces mailing list and be the first to hear about opportunities, latest news and essential updates, including for the next phase of the project, Ten Pieces III.

2) Sign up to the Get Involved newsletter to find out about events relating to the BBC Proms, the Inspire young composers scheme and Ten Pieces.

24 MAY 2017

Filming for the next phase of the project's resources has taken place at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale studios. Led by conductor Rafael Payare, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and several youth choirs have been hard at work performing the pieces from the Ten Pieces III repertoire.

These new filmed resources will be available as short-form clips on our website from the start of the 2017/18 academic year, alongside a wealth of other material.

Full details of the exciting new resources will be announced soon.

In the meantime there's lot to get involved with - sign your school up for a Ten Pieces Assembly for BBC Music Day and showcase your pupils' creative responses using the Ten Pieces uploader.

18 MAY 2017

Have you signed up to hold a Ten Pieces Assembly for BBC Music Day on Thursday 15 June?

Not sure what to do? You could showcase creative responses, put on a performance using downloadable arrangements, or watch the Ten Pieces films to get your students inspired.

We'd love to see what you get up to - send us your assembly highlights and we'll showcase them online.

15 MAY 2017

Here's where the BBC Singers have been visiting as part of the Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme. Read more about their visits and other recent sessions.

On 29 April 2017 they visited Northern Ireland to work with the Belfast Philharmonic Youth Choir and Dublin Youth Choirs. This was an exciting opportunity for both groups as it was the first time they have sung together. A group of BBC Singers then travelled to Essex to work with the Southend Young Men's Chorus. We look forward to working with this group again as part of the Ten Pieces Presents Prom in July. The final visit was to Bishop Wordsworth School in Wiltshire on 2 May. Five singers spent the day working with the 50-strong school choir on a selection of music including Handel, Vivaldi and Rutter.

15 MAY 2017

BBC Concert Orchestra musicians have been delivering the Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme - here's how they've been getting on. You can read more about recent visits on the Coaching Scheme page.

Haybridge High School & Sixth Form in Worcestershire received a visit on 9 March 2017. The school orchestra were joined by young players from Hagley Primary. The young musicians rose to the challenge and made remarkable improvements by the end of the day.

On 11 March the BBC musicians visited Devon Youth Concert and Symphony Orchestras in Exeter. After visiting the group last year as part of the scheme, it was great to see how the orchestra has developed.

8 MAY 2017

The Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme is currently travelling across the UK, giving schools and organisations a chance to work with professional musicians from the BBC Orchestras and Choirs.

The Werneth Youth Concert Band were visited by the BBC Philharmonic in May 2017. Students worked alongside musicians from the orchestra in sectional rehearsals and at the end of the day played five pieces in a brilliant performance.

In April the BBC Symphony Orchestra visited Manor School - watch a performance of Toreador Song from the day.

Get more info about the scheme, including recent sessions, benefits of taking part and how to get in touch.

3 MAY 2017

This year's BBC Philharmonic family concert on Saturday 9 June 2017 is a great way of exploring a wider range of music from Ten Pieces composers.

Join award-winning musical comedian Vikki Stone as she takes you on an adventure to track down a host of enchanting, wild, magical musical sounds all hiding out in a concert packed full of inspiring music.

Composers include Bernstein, Grieg, Anna Clyne and Shostakovich from Ten Pieces I and II, and Aaron Copland from Ten Pieces III.

Find more information and ticket details on the BBC Philharmonic website.

24 APRIL 2017

Following news of the snap General Election on 8 June, BBC Music Day 2017 has been rescheduled to Thursday 15 June. It would be fantastic if you could be a part of the celebrations by holding a Ten Pieces Assembly.

We understand if you are unable to change your plans and we are very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

If you are unable to switch your plans to the new date, we've love for you to still go ahead on the 9th. We will do all we can to reflect your celebrations digitally and, if possible, in broadcasts on the 15th.

Find out more the date change and order your free merchandise pack if you haven't already signed up.

20 APRIL 2017

The BBC Proms 2017 season has been announced and there's a special concert on the schedule for Ten Pieces fans!

On Saturday 23rd July, join rollicking ringmaster Sir Henry Wood for Ten Pieces Presents ... Sir Henry's Magnificent Musical Inspirations!, an exciting adventure for all the family. Together with young performers, the Ten Pieces Children's Choir and guests, he discovers how nature, history, dreams, love, magic and lots more have inspired composers to create musical masterpieces.

Get more information about timings and tickets on the Proms website.

18 APRIL 2017

The 2017 Ten Pieces uploader is now open! We would like teachers and home educators to send films, audio recordings and/or stills of their pupils' creative responses so they can be showcased on the Ten Pieces website.

We'll be looking for responses to the Ten Pieces I and II music in any art form, from both primary and secondary pupils. We're also looking for Ten Pieces Assembly recordings and pictures.

For inspiration and resources you can browse the pieces and watch the film clips, download lesson plans, arrangements and MP3s, and look through a creative response showcase.

NB: The 2017 Ten Pieces uploader closed on 23 June 2017.

17 MARCH 2017

Ten Pieces will be celebrating BBC Music Day on Thursday 15 June and we want schools to take part by putting on Ten Pieces Assemblies.

Schools can get ready for the big day by designing an Assemble for BBC Music Day poster. Teachers can send in their pupils' designs and we'll showcase them on our website.

Find out how to get involved and how to send your posters in.

16 MARCH 2017

You can now take a peek behind the scenes at a recent Ten Pieces school concert at Glasgow's City Halls.

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra performed to 1800 young people over two days as part of the Ten Pieces project.

Watch pupils get the lowdown from some very special guests, including conductor Clark Rundell and CBBC favourites Hacker and Dodge.

6 MARCH 2017

The new pieces for the next phase of the project have been announced!

Ten Pieces III will again use classical music to engage children aged 7-14 and inspire them to make their own creative responses. All new resources will be made available at the start of the 2017/18 academic year to accompany the new repertoire.

You can find out more about the pieces, download the repertoire list and read an interview with composer Kerry Andrew, who has written a brand new piece specially for the project. You can also hear conductor Rafael Payare discuss what it's been like recording the new repertoire on Radio 3's In Tune.

1 MARCH 2017

Pupils from across Scotland experienced the sound of a live 80-piece orchestra this week at Glasgow's City Halls – and got a surprise when CBBC's Hacker and Dodge turned up with Blue Peter's Barney Harwood!

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra performed to 1800 pupils over two days as part of the Ten Pieces project.

A school group had the chance to interview Hacker and Barney and students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland performed alongside the orchestra.

24 FEBRUARY 2017

The first Ten Pieces Coaching Scheme session of the year has taken place in Peckham.

The BBC Singers visited a secondary school to help pupils prepare for a concert.

Find out more about the scheme allowing musicians to share their knowledge and expertise with aspiring young performers nationwide.

23 FEBRUARY 2017

Ten Pieces will be celebrating BBC Music Day, the BBC's UK-wide celebration of music, on Thursday 15 June 2017.

We want you to take part by putting on your own musical Ten Pieces Assembly.

Find out how you can take part and sign up using the form to get a free merchandise pack.

20 FEBRUARY 2017

Thanks to all the schools and educators who sent in worksheets full of pupils' inspiring words on the theme of 'home'.

The words are being used by our composer to create a brand new piece, commissioned for the next set of Ten Pieces.

The piece - and the rest of the new repertoire - will be announced soon.

17 FEBRUARY 2017

You can now find all of the Ten Pieces resources in one place.

Visit the resources page for all of the primary and secondary teaching resources, including arrangements, lesson plans and clips.

You can also browse all of the repertoire to view resources by piece.