Youngsters invited to rock with Shakespeare - The Stratford Observer

Youngsters invited to rock with Shakespeare

Stratford Editorial 16th Feb, 2017   0

SCHOOLCHILDREN are being invited to rock with Shakespeare.

This year’s Shakespeare Week running from March 20 to 26, will have a music theme, and primary school pupils can join in the celebrations with the Big Assembly featuring a new song composed by Shakespeare Rocks’ Steve Titford. Registered schools will have free access to the musical score as well as vocal and backing tracks ready for the Big Assembly.

Julian Lloyd Webber, world-renowned cellist and current principal of Birmingham Conservatoire, is also joining the celebrations as patron of Shakespeare Week 2017.

Mr Lloyd Webber said: “What better way to introduce our children to Shakespeare than through the shared joy of music? I passionately believe that all children should have access to the very best of our country’s great cultural heritage, regardless of their background or circumstances.




“Shakespeare Week is a wonderful opportunity for primary school children, their teachers and families to discover the work of our greatest playwright in exciting, fun and sometimes surprising ways. I encourage everyone to get involved and embrace this fantastic programme.”

Shakespeare Week was established by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 2014 as a way to share and celebrate Shakespeare’s creative legacy with every primary school child in the country.


In 2016, the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, more than 1.9 million children in 12,000 primary schools across the UK took part in Shakespeare Week – the biggest celebration of Shakespeare yet.

Trust head of learning Jacqueline Green said: “Shakespeare Week is now firmly established in the annual school calendar and we’re absolutely thrilled that in this special anniversary year, more children than ever before celebrated our nation’s literary great.”

Visit www.shakespeareweek.org.uk to register, access free resources and take part in Shakespeare Week 2017.

* YOUNG writers and artists are being challenged to write poetry or paint a picture by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Pakistan Consulate of Birmingham.

Entrants can take inspiration from the literary greats – like Shakespeare and Pakistan’s own Dr Sir Allama Mohammed Iqbal – or from a special person, scene, memory or setting that has shaped their own life to capture the theme of ‘The Landscape of my Youth’.

The competition is open to all young writers aged 16 to 25. The winner of the poetry competition will be invited to take part in the Stratford Poetry Festival in June and the winning art entry will be displayed at Shakespeare’s New Place.

The deadline for entries is May 1. Visit www.shakespeare.org.uk/competitions for full details.

* THE SHAKESPEARE Birthplace Trust is celebrating a hat-trick of prestigious national awards for their education workshops for children.

The trust’s Heritage Education team were accredited with the Sandford Award for the third time. It recognises quality and excellence in education provision, rewarding heritage and historic properties where special provision has been made for educational visits by children of school age.

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