From Andrew, our CEO:
With a few weeks to reflect on the exciting two months of the Pro Corda Schools Festival 24, I’m left with one overriding thought
– that the next generation really do bring great hope for the future!
Chamber music’s unique ability to bring people together in a profound way, most especially at difficult times for national and international society, is something that always shines hope and optimism on our world. But to see the way young people react to this medium; and the way they share, negotiate, and fuse unique and diverse personalities to enable a creative endeavor that is greater than the sum of its parts is really the most special thing of all to witness.
2024 saw the largest Pro Corda Schools’ Festival in its history. This brought many things…. An incredible standard of playing across the many and diverse young musicians that took part. More variety of instrumental combinations within the ensembles than ever before. More state sector school entries than ever before (something we will work non-stop to increase further via the year round Pro Corda Creative Ensembles series.) And of course a true “festival buzz” at each and every round.
As I drove across the countryside, from qualifiers to semi-finals to National Finals day, my own sense of optimism about what chamber music can do for UK music education intensified as never before.
At a time when music curriculum nationally is so challenged, the very concept of small ensemble training is surely needed now more than ever. Both the process and the result enlivens musicianship and performance skills in such an acute way. The sense of leadership in equal measure to creative spontaneity needed on stage for live small ensemble performance is a truly pivotal and life long musical and artistic training. But above all it is a life training. That is what shone through each day of Festival 24. The sparky unique characters, the warm collaboration, the individuality in equal measure to the togetherness. These are the things which inspire such hope.
Here’s to Festival 25!
So that’s it for another incredible year of the Pro Corda National Chamber Music Festival for Schools.
If YOUR school would like to get involved next year we will be opening up the 2025 Festival in September 2024. Follow us on social media and you will be the first to hear all the details of the new Festival.
Thank you to everyone who has participated and helped us along the 2024 Festival journey.
