by Author Ten Pieces

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BBC Music's Ten Pieces extended to secondary school students with new list of music

BBC Music has announced details of the second year of its classical music initiative Ten Pieces. Designed to introduce a generation of children to classical music, the ground-breaking project will be extended to secondary schools, with a new selection of music for students and teachers to explore.   Tony Hall, Director-General, BBC, said: ‘I’m so proud of this campaign, the biggest commitment the BBC has ever made to music education in our country.’  

BBC Music has announced details of the second year of its classical music initiative Ten Pieces. Designed to introduce a generation of children to classical music, the ground-breaking project will be extended to secondary schools, with a new selection of music for students and teachers to explore.   Tony Hall, Director-General, BBC, said: ‘I’m so proud of this campaign, the biggest commitment the BBC has ever made to music education in our country.’   The second year of the project builds on the success of Ten Pieces Primary – which has already engaged more than half of UK Primary Schools (over 10,000 primary schools). Commissioned and produced by BBC Learning and delivered in conjunction with the BBC Performing Groups, the initiative aims to inspire a generation of children to get creative with classical music by using a selection of ten pieces of music as a spring-board for creativity, as well as a range of online resources, UK-wide events and close collaboration with music and arts organisations.   The Ten Pieces for Secondary Schools are:

  • J. S. Bach, orch. Stokowski - Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
  • Bernstein - 'Mambo' from Symphonic Dances from 'West Side Story'
  • Bizet - 'Habanera' and 'Toreador Song' from 'Carmen'
  • Anna Clyne - Night Ferry
  • Haydn - Trumpet Concerto (3rd movement) Soloist: Alison Balsom
  • Gabriel Prokofiev - Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra (5th movement) Soloist: DJ Mr Switch
  • Shostakovich - Symphony No. 10 (2nd movement)
  • Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending Soloist: Nicola Benedetti
  • Verdi - 'Dies Irae' and ‘Tuba Mirum’ from 'Requiem'
  • Wagner - 'Ride of the Valkyries' from 'Die Walküre'

The BBC Philharmonic will star in a brand new film featuring these Ten Pieces, which represent a wide range of styles and eras relevant to the secondary music curriculum for ages 11 and above. The orchestral sections of the film will be shot by acclaimed director Nick Wickham, responsible for music videos and documentaries featuring artists including Rihanna, Katy Perry, Foo Fighters and Madonna. The film is being been made by BBC Music Television in association with the award-winning independent production company, Somethin' Else. Each piece will be introduced by a presenter known to the age group, using an engaging mix of animation and live action. The film will be shown in special screenings in cinemas across the UK in October 2015, and schools can book free tickets for these screenings via the Ten Pieces website – bbc.co.uk/tenpieces.   Once students have seen the film, schools can access online resources to enable students to develop creative responses inspired by the music – either through dance, animation, performance poetry, composition or digital art. Schools will be able to attend live performances of the Ten Pieces across the country throughout the year.   Ten Pieces Ambassadors will continue to work with the project across the country – violinist Nicola Benedetti, trumpeter Alison Balsom, jazz pianist Julian Joseph, singer and BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Cerys Matthews, harpist Catrin Finch, and BBC Radio 3 presenter Suzy Klein. New Ambassadors joining the project for secondary schools will include cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, 19 year old Co-Principal Trombonist of the London Symphony Orchestra and former BBC Young Musician Peter Moore, electronic band Clean Bandit, and musician, producer and composer Nitin Sawhney.   For two weeks starting on Monday 28 September, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 2 join forces to present a special Ten Pieces season at the time of the cinema screenings.  Highlights on BBC Radio 3 include all of the Ten Pieces broadcast in full; Ten Facts Ten Pieces, a series of features available to download; CD Review's Building a Library surveys Haydn's Trumpet Concerto; and In Tune, Radio 3's drivetime show, broadcasts live from a secondary school presented by Ten Pieces ambassador Suzy Klein. BBC Radio 2 will present a concert themed around Ten Pieces for Friday Night is Music Night.   The resources and DVDs for Ten Pieces Primary will continue to be available to primary schools throughout 2015/16 and schools are encouraged to continue their involvement.   Ten Pieces Primary culminates in two BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall this summer (18 and 19 July), when the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will perform the ten pieces of music, alongside a selection of creative responses by children. The concert will be on Radio 3 and Radio 2 and will be filmed for broadcast at a later date on CBBC. Visit bbc.co.uk/proms for further information.   Ten Pieces is delivered on the ground through an existing network of more than 240 music hubs, music education services and arts organisations that are already involved with Ten Pieces. These organisations will continue to support the initiative at a local level, extending their activities to secondary schools.   To find out more about the Ten Pieces story so far visit - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02htv3s

Bob Shennan, Director, BBC Music, said:  ‘The glowing success of Ten Pieces is a testament to the dedication and passion of its executive producer, Katy Jones who sadly passed away earlier this year.  It’s a fitting tribute to her that we now launch Ten Pieces Secondary featuring a diverse and entertaining range of pieces which Katy herself loved.’   Nitin Sawhney said:  ‘I am delighted and honoured to have been asked to act as an Ambassador for the BBC’s Ten Pieces project. Children need to challenge their imaginations and a formal education in the arts instils children with confidence and an ability to learn through intuition as well as intellect. It empowers children to understand their own identity and emotions. I hope that through my participation in this wonderful project I could somehow contribute to that journey and process.’