An initiative that brings classical music to schools is coming to Cumbria next month on its biggest tour yet.
The Playground Proms initiative was created by the comedy string quartet, Graffiti Classics, in 2021 as a way to perform during Covid-19 restrictions.
It has grown year on year, with the workshops combining Graffiti Classics‘ musicianship with their trademark humour.
Although the workshops are mainly targeted at five to 11-year-olds (Key Stages 1 and 2), the entire school is welcome to attend, and a resource pack is available to all schools participating.
The project is now in its fifth year and has announced its biggest tour yet.
The first performances took place in Barrow in 2021 as part of a pilot project in collaboration with the Cumbria Music Hub.
Last year, they played to 20,000 children and staff in 76 schools in eight regions.
This year, there will be 15 regional stops across the UK, organised in collaboration with the council’s Music Hubs, which aim to give children and young people in the area access to music.
On May 7, there will be stops in Carlisle at Stanwix Primary School (9-10am), Inglewood Junior School (11am-12pm), and Blackford C of E Primary School (1.45-2.45pm).
The tour will continue on May 8, stopping at Warwick Bridge (9-10am), Hayton C of E Primary School in Brampton (10.45-11.45am), and Kirkbampton C of E Primary School (1.15pm-3.15pm).
Finally, on May 9, the tour will stop at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Whitehaven (10-11am), and Moor Row Community Primary School (2-3pm).
Since 2021, Playground Proms have reached nearly 50,000 children in 160 schools in a dozen areas of the UK and Ireland.
These sessions are designed to offer a general introduction to the project and the Dalcroze Eurythmics method of responding to music through movement, delivered by experts from Dalcroze UK.
The Playground Proms workshops also include an introduction to musical terms, rhythm, conducting, and composition.
Performances will include some of the most iconic classical music, including works from BBC’s Ten Pieces and the DfE’s Model Music Curriculum, presented in Graffiti Classics’ style.
There are also strands of the current music curriculum, including information about musical terms and instruments.
Children will have the chance to take to the stage and perform the second verse of the Playground Proms anthem, which they will have written in the weeks running up to the workshops.
Cathal Ó Dúill from Playground Proms said: „We’re thrilled to be back, bigger and better than ever in 2025.
„The positive feedback from last year has been overwhelming, and we are proud of what we are building with the help of Arts Council England as well as all our music hub partners and other generous donations.
„It is a privilege to travel the country and spread the joy of classical music to children in this way.“
Graffiti Classics, founded in 1997 by Irishman Cathal Ó Dúill, started out as a street performance group in Covent Garden.
Cathal’s vision was to make classical music fun and accessible for all.
He was joined by graduates from musical conservatories, including the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal College of Music, who shared his vision.
Having worked on their craft on the streets of London, Graffiti Classics have since developed a show that’s designed to offer an exciting alternative to traditional classical concerts.
The band has performed globally, from festivals and cruise ships to hospitals, schools, and corporate events.
Playground Proms aims to build on Graffiti Classics‘ long-standing commitment to educational performances, blending humour and virtuosic arrangements to help make classical music fun for all.
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Classical music workshop set for Cumbrian schools next month – Cumbria News and Star
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