P7 Pupils Perform at Stunning Usher Hall JGHS Christmas Concert

What a stunning showcase of the terrific musical talents of the young people and staff of James Gillespie's High School at the Usher Hall Christmas Concert on Tuesday 19th December 2017! Cluster Primary Seven pupils from Sciennes, Tollcross, James Gillespie's Primary, Preston Street, Royal Mile and Taobh na Pairce Primary Schools rose to the occasion, sang beautifully and made everyone so proud. Thank you to JGHS Performing Arts Faculty Leader Mrs Deirdre O'Brien and her team for inviting the children to participate and organising the whole event.

Ninety of our own P7 pupils took to the stage and we commend their confidence and their 'can do' attitude, bolstered by lots of hard work and rehearsal with their Class Teachers. We are very grateful for the tremendous parental support in enabling so many of our pupils to participate this year.

Wonderful to see so many of our former pupils also shine on stage. A memorable, exciting way to end the year that also gives our pupils a flavour of the vast array of musical possibilities that await them at secondary school next year.

Sounds Like Friday, Sounds Like Saturday 2017-18

Music lessons in spare time

Sounds Like Friday, Sounds Like Saturday

Sounds Like Friday and Sounds Like Saturday are the Arts and Creative Learning key Youth Music Initiative projects.  The funding is provided on an annual basis from Creative Scotland. These projects offer free music tuition and resources to all P5, P6 and P7 classes in Edinburgh Primary Schools. 

Further information about the project including term dates is available at http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20014/schools_and_learning
in 'Music Lessons in Spare Time'.

 

Download an application form for the 2017/18 term below.

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20014/schools_and_learning/230/music_lessons_in_spare_time
The deadline for applications is Friday 8th September 2017.
We provide tuition in

• guitar
• singing
• violin
• brass
• woodwind
• chanter and pipe drumming. 

SLF and SLS are Youth Music Initiative programmes, funded by Creative Scotland.

Youth Music Initiative

Email: ymi@edinburgh.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 469 3155

Superb P5 Performance of Scottish Opera's "A Tale O' Tam O'Shanter"

Outstanding P5s in Scottish Opera's fabulous "A Tale O' Tam O'Shanter"

What a fabulous performance on Wednesday 14th June from Primary Five! They were word perfect and in fine voice for an outstanding production of 'A Tale O' Tam O'Shanter' with Scottish Opera. The team from Scottish Opera - Alan, Ryan, Kirsty and Neil - yet again wove their magic, as only they can, with high energy, focus and lots of fun to choreograph the entire show in a single day. We are also grateful to musical director Roger who spent a day with the pupils a few weeks ago. The children thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and rose to the occasion superbly, inspired by the fantastic turnout. Tip top job by Mrs McVicker, Mrs Hogan, Ms French and Miss Thistlethwaite in preparing them so well and thank you to all the families who came along to shout "Bravo!" and "Encore!" Hannah's dad Jimmy Chow very kindly filmed the show and took photographs for us which we will share in due course. Here are a few photographs meanwhile:

The hour approaches, Tam maun ride. Superb singing from Ryan

In fine voice

Before him Doon pours all his floods

Hannah danced superbly weel as the De'il

"Weel done, Cutty Sarkl" and superb singing by Kirsty as Kate and Nanny

"The carlin claught her by the rump, And left poor Maggie scarce a stump"

Thank you to Alan and Neil (sound engineer) for bringing all the elements of the performance together so well. Another triumph for Scottish Opera!

Excellent preparation by the staff, giving the children extraordinary confidence and zest in performance

Scottish Opera Unwrap La Boheme for P6 and P7

Thank you so much to Audrey Blake and our friends at Scottish Opera for a wonderful opportunity for six of our classes ( P6 and P7) to visit the Festival Theatre on Thursday 1st June for Puccini's "La Boheme" Unwrapped. Fantastic orchestra, powerfully emotive singing and wonderful story telling, with a fascinating behind the scenes exploration of the incredibly detailed staging of this glorious opera production. And what a great introduction to our pupils to the many different roles and careers within the production, including stage management, set design, singing and conducting! Bravo!

Cluster Transition Music with EUMS at JGHS

Our three P7 classes have been invited to take part in Edinburgh University Music Students' (EUMS) Outreach programme on Tuesday 7th February, where pupils will learn about the different instruments in an orchestra in a lively and engaging presentation. We are delighted to be participating in this Cluster Transition event, hosted by Deirdre O'Brien (Expressive Arts Faculty Leader) at James Gillespie's High School. Thank you very much to Briony Pickford (EUMS Community Outreach Manager) for working with us to arrange this special opportunity for P7.