United Through Music: the huge success of Count Me In
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
What an incredible week! We are still buzzing at Carrot Productions after the huge success of brand-new initiative, Count Me In, which we were thrilled to deliver alongside our partners at Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership.
Count Me In: The Project
Count Me In was designed specifically for children, bringing together primary and secondary pupils from across Derbyshire in high-impact performances packed with exciting film music.
Schools engaging in the Classroom Instrumental Learning (CIL) programme and members of Derbyshire Secondary Choirs were invited to play and sing alongside our 45-piece orchestra. The musicians, all dressed in film-themed costumes, were chosen not just for their brilliant musicianship, but also for their ability to engage with young audiences. Resources for the pieces and songs were provided to the CIL programme deliverers in advance, who then prepared the children during their weekly Classroom Instrumental Learning lessons ready for the performance days at Buxton Octagon and Derby Arena.
Over two unforgettable days on June 16 and 18, this project brought a staggering 2,556 primary school instrumentalists and 139 secondary school singers out of their classrooms and straight into the concert hall.
Representing 66 schools from all corners of the county, these young musicians completely packed out both Derby Arena and the Buxton Octagon, creating an unbelievable wall of sound. Presented brilliantly by Sophie Trueman and conducted by Carrot's Principal Conductor, George Morton, the result was nothing short of magic.
Count Me In: The Music
The atmosphere in both venues was electric from the very first note. The children got to play along with some legendary music, including Wallace & Gromit, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Tchaikovsky's Waltz.
George kept everyone entertained and learning at the same time, showing the children exactly how a conductor can change the orchestra's speed in an instant during Dukas’ The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and introducing them to all the instruments of the orchestra in Downtime by Daniel Whibley.
From the grand opening of The 20th Century Fox theme and Star Wars to a massive John Williams Tribute, it was amazing to see how music could bring so many children together.
A particularly special and poignant moment occurred when the entire auditorium became totally silent, as the children closed their eyes and imagined the moon shining down on them as they had a moment of stillness and reflection whilst the orchestra captivated them with a specially arranged orchestral version of Debussy's Clair de Lune.
The singing was just as powerful. The Count Me In: Secondary Sing Aloud Choir of 139 voices drawn from around the county was formed for the occasion, and delivered a spine-tingling performance of Defying Gravity from Wicked, followed by a deeply moving rendition of Dear Evan Hansen’s You Will Be Found. The sheer scale of the choir backed by a full orchestra was very moving. We finished on a high with a grand finale of This is Me from The Greatest Showman (complete with phone torches in the audience!).
Count Me In: The Feedback
The feedback we’ve had from teachers, schools, deliverers, children and the musicians alike has been brilliantly positive. We are incredibly proud to have shared our love of live music with the next generation and to have given these children a stage to shine on. Count Me In truly proved that when it comes to music, we are so much stronger together.
“The energy was electric, the performances unforgettable, and the smiles said it all.”
“An incredible experience for everyone involved!”
“Singing and playing together with a professional orchestra — what a sound, what a moment!”
“Sophie was superb! She kept the entire audience engaged!”
Would your Music Hub like to have your own 'Count Me In'?
Are you a music hub leader, peripatetic teacher, music educator or another educational organisation? Would you like Carrot Productions to bring one of our collaborative performances to your music hub, school or venue?
We have a huge number of shows available, and also offer organisations, orchestras and venues bespoke hire packages, ranging from full productions to individual films and scores.
“There aren't words to describe how brilliant the whole experience was! It was so inspiring. Taking part in such a well-organised, large-scale event is a magical memory they will never forget!”
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