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“I really like music now”

Tuesday 17 March 2026

Every year, we offer three educational programme strands to our partner schools across London. Each involves teacher training, in-school workshops and a final concert in which children become active participants, joining in with songs, actions and body percussion. In this, our 40th Anniversary Season, we have been revisiting favourite concerts from the Orchestra’s archive.

Mozart Chased a Cat with Early Years at Cecil Sharp House

During the first week of March, we performed eight concerts to children in Early Years (Nursery and Reception) and Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2). On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 800 Early Years students joined the Orchestra at Cecil Sharp House and Netley Primary School for Mozart Chased A Cat. The concert takes pupils on a journey through Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, inspired by a first-hand account of the young composer jumping down from the harpsichord mid-practice to play with ‘a favourite cat’.

"I learned that I really like music now"

Early Years student

"It was fantastic to be able to have a truly inclusive event, where children weren't just present, but actively engaging with and experiencing live music."

Early Years teacher

"We've had requests to have trumpets and bassoons at our school!"

Early Years teacher

At the end of the week, 680 Key Stage 1 students came to see Watercycle: 1,2, 3, Water Rises from the Sea at Cecil Sharp House and Acland Burghley School. The show – written by Hazel Gould and James Redwood and featuring actor-musician-magician extraordinaire, Tom Silburn – was centred around Handel’s Water Music and featured extracts from Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s Trio Sonata No.1 in G minor and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The concert encourages children to explore what it means to be a scientist, introducing them to the stages of the water cycle and even featuring a live experiment!

"I love all of the orchestra because the music was so neat"

KS1 student

Watercycle: 1, 2, 3, Water Rises from the Sea at Acland Burghley School

"My favourite instrument was the trumpet because it was loud but it didn't hurt my ears."

KS1 student

A Key Stage 2 strand, for students in Years 3 – 6, kicks off with a teacher training in April and concerts planned for early July.

Violinist Julia Kuhn and bass player Cecelia Bryggemyer playing in the playground at Acland burghley School

Japanese conductor Masaaki Suzuki conducts the OAE with singer Florian Stortz

OAE musicians run a workshop in a school classroom

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“I really like music now”

Tuesday 17 March 2026

"I learned that I really like music now"

"It was fantastic to be able to have a truly inclusive event, where children weren't just present, but actively engaging with and experiencing live music."

"We've had requests to have trumpets and bassoons at our school!"

"I love all of the orchestra because the music was so neat"

"My favourite instrument was the trumpet because it was loud but it didn't hurt my ears."

Did you know you can support the OAE?

Hear it first

Sign up to our newsletter

"I learned that I really like music now"

"It was fantastic to be able to have a truly inclusive event, where children weren't just present, but actively engaging with and experiencing live music."

"We've had requests to have trumpets and bassoons at our school!"

"I love all of the orchestra because the music was so neat"

"My favourite instrument was the trumpet because it was loud but it didn't hurt my ears."

Did you know you can support the OAE?

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