Schoolchildren get chance to learn all about world music

Schoolchildren across Harrogate and Knaresborough are getting a special opportunity to learn all about percussion and world music thanks to a series of workshops this week.

Youngsters from 10 schools are taking part in the Global Villages workshops with Boubakiki, a music duo consisting of Joe Steele (saxophone) and Rosie Bergonzi (handpan), who will give students the chance to learn about, and participate in, different world music styles.

These immersive education sessions, run by Harrogate International Festivals and supported by the Wild Foundations, established in memory of Victor Wild of Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, are aimed at children aged nine to twelve.

The workshops are being delivered to 10 schools across Harrogate and Knaresborough: Coppice Valley Primary School, Meadowside Academy, New Park Primary Academy, Aspin Park Academy, Willow Tree Community Primary School, Grove Road Community Primary School, Hookstone Chase Primary School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School (secondary) and Saltergate School.

Education and outreach programmes like this are at the heart of Harrogate International Festivals’ work in the local community, which aims to raise aspirations and create new opportunities for all through free access to the arts and culture.

Jonathan Wild said: “Wild Foundations is our way of honouring our father’s legacy – not just as a polymath, but as someone who believed deeply in the power of curiosity and creativity.

“Through these great workshops, we hope to spark that same spirit in young people across the local area, giving them the tools to explore, imagine and grow.”

Lizzie Barnes said: “Our father, Victor, had an extraordinary ability to connect ideas across disciplines – from the arts to the sciences.

“With Wild Foundations, we’re building a space where young people can develop new skills and explore their creativity. We’re delighted to help bring the world of music to life and hopefully inspire a few youngsters to pick up instruments in the process.”

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “Our outreach and education programmes are all about encouraging greater engagement with the arts, and with an increasing lack of access to musical participation this work has arguably never been more important.

“These sessions will give students a chance to learn about and participate in different world music styles, and we are incredibly grateful to our funders, the Wild Foundations, for enabling us to make them happen.”