A Winning Idea

By Kate Hancock

You win some, you lose some. The ceilidh was alright… but a few children dosey dosing and the adults gamely promenading round the circle wasn’t exactly a roaring success. We all in the Arts Steering Group had to agree on that.

It being 1999 there was a general feeling that the year 2000 should be memorable, and for me that of course meant that it should be important, significant, momentous for the children of Chillingham Road Primary. So I roped in parents and governors to share the responsibility of making another year in the school something really special – we called ourselves the Arts Steering Group. We had a whole variety of ideas – some of them (though I say it myself) rather good. We planned a performance at the People’s Theatre – imagine! Children performing in a real theatre! I realise this is now an occurrence at Chilli Road – but it wasn’t then.

We remembered the old Heaton People’s band – and started up a new community band – which became the Chilli Road Band. Great idea! I desperately wanted to be part of it, not being able to play anything was a bit of a problem but I made my decision of instrument carefully. A trumpet. With only three things to press it surely couldn’t be that hard…I know better now!

Back to the ceilidh. We really needed something that would bring in lots of families. That’s when Dave had his idea, let the children perform whatever they wanted to, and string it all together as a series of acts. Simple but brilliant. The first Family Music Night took place and every table was filled. Kids loved it, families loved it and it’s become a permanent part of the school calendar.

Each year we organise “auditions”. The first round always throws up a few challenges – like Samuel who put his name down for playing a tune on the guitar. Very enterprising, only year 1 and very confident! He sat down without a guitar. He’d forgotten it. A guitar was found. It was quickly apparent that Samuel hadn’t ever held a guitar, much less played it! There have been funny moments – like when Alice and her friend Annie with violins almost as large as themselves their act with Alice counting in rock star style – a 1 – 2, a 1,2,3,4 followed by a short sequence of screechy squeaks. Every year there is a fabulous variety – small children reciting a nursery rhyme, followed by a martial arts display and then beautiful singing from children who you never knew had it in them. And no matter how wobbly the performance might be, everyone in the audience supporting every single performer. Everyone working together for the kids, everyone wanting them to succeed. Now that definitely is a winner.