Rye Arts Festival goers in Rye will have the opportunity to listen to a joyous concert performed by nine-year-old children from Rye Community Primary School, on September 26 in St Mary’s Church at 1.30pm.
This free event, organised by The Rye Arts Festival, follows the success of the Primary Schools Choirs Showcase at the Hastings Music Festival, that took place in 2024 and 2025 and to be repeated next March in 2026. These showcases were ground-breaking because they were uncompetitive - unlike the competitive events run by the Hastings Music Festival – and involved children, largely from state schools, not only singing but helping to compose the songs in weekly group sessions run by music specialist / teacher Andy Nunn. The final performance at The White Rock was praised by parents, as something they and their children would never forget.
Niki Stuart, mayoress of Rye and on the organising committee of the Rye Arts Festival wanted to do something similar in Rye. The concert will see the children from Rye Primary performing an anthem for their school which they have written with Andy Nunn after a number of music sessions at the school. You are invited to come along, enjoy and support the children and their school.
Music Lifeline was set up by Rye resident, John Hart, in 2022 prompted by his distress at the lack of music provision in state schools.
He said: “Music making is essential for children. The divide between children in private schools who have access to music lessons and instruments and those who don’t is becoming greater and I wanted to get a team of musicians, teachers and those passionate about music, to campaign together.
“We have been delighted by the support received with generous donations of funds and instruments and it’s been wonderful that musicians who have found our website have supported us. The event at The Rye Arts Festival is being funded by a generous donation from one such musician who ran a gig in Brighton for us.”
John is pleased to announce that, to prepare for the future, the name Music Lifeline CIC is now owned by Belltree Music Therapy and will also include The Music Well who, together, are expanding their range of services to include music for children in schools. Music Lifeline CIC will be relaunched in the spring and a new website is currently underway so make sure you keep your eyes and ears open for announcements!
Those involved will continue to campaign for music to be on the school curriculum and music making to be part of children’s lives in state school.
Book your tickets for the Rye Arts Festival event here.