“I’ve just caught up with this now, barely an hour before I sing some of these songs myself in Jeremy Sams’ wondrous translations... How fabulous is this? Children singing/owning Schubert! It’s a dream come true. Bravo!”
— Roderick Williams OBE, July 2021
2020/21: MiniWinterreise
Our children’s project, MiniWinterreise engaged over 230 local children, 75% of whom had English as an additional language and 69% pupil premium entitlement. Workshops were led by Nigerian-American soprano Francesca Chiejina. You can view very moving and insightful creative responses in dance, poetry, art and musical composition on our YouTube channel alongside committed performances of Schubert’s songs in Jeremy Sams’ English adaption.
The wanderlust theme, based on Schubert/Müller’s iconic song cycle Winterreise, provided a lonely literary character in a safe, musical environment with whom children could empathise, equipping them with tools to express their reactions to isolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With many thanks to Arts Council England for their generous support of this project.
2022: Potpourri
In 2022 we took traditionalist parlour songs in French and English into five local schools, reaching over 400 children. SongEasel’s Artistic Director Jocelyn Freeman and Nigerian soprano Lynda Nwabudike performed for the children, coached them to sing in both languages and encouraged exciting creative responses to our ‘Icons & Legends’ theme, based on a notorious Parisian dinner party of creatives in May 1922. A final performance was held in St Laurence Church, Catford, and led by Clare Caddick, representing our partnership with Lewisham Music.
Delivered in partnership with Lewisham Music
With many thanks to the Lee Educaional Charity of William Hatcliffe for their generous support of this project.
2023: Songs from Around The World
In 2023, we delivered a series of workshops in six South East London schools, connecting over 980 students with Songs from across time, place, and genre. The children learned classical songs by the likes of Errollyn Wallen & Benjamin Britten, as well as traditional songs in languages as diverse as Scots, Hebrew, Egyptian, and that of the first Australian natives. Workshops were led by Johannes Gerges (bass-baritone), Lynda Nwabudike (soprano), Anna Sideris (soprano), Jocelyn Freeman (piano) and Elspeth Wyllie (piano), and culminated with participants sharing their unique creative responses as part of their final performance.
With thanks to the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and the Lee Educational Charity of William Hatcliffe for their generous support of this project, and to Britten Pears Arts Friday Afternoons, whose online resources were used in the delivery of this workshop series.
New video coming soon…