Year of Brass
We had a very busy Spring term with some of our large scale projects for schools taking place.
The Year of Brass 2026, was led by the fantastic Solis Brass Trio. They worked with 17 schools across the South and West of Somerset, engaging with 2,500 children and young people, their schools’ staff and parents/carers, in the associated workshops, assemblies and performances.
Everyone learned more about the instruments and making music with large groups of players from the schools performing fanfare’s and other exciting pieces on a wide range of instruments including recorders, trumpets, violins, keyboards, percussion and more, alongside our amazing trio!
The children told us:
“The music made me really happy”
“I would like to do a similar thing again”
“This is the best day ever, because we got to do this now and a proper performance, and then I have got biking later”
“Come back tomorrow because we love your music!”
“Please come back again tomorrow!”“Oh My God, they are here!” (on arrival when trio arrived)
“I know that music. I have heard it before. But this one is better”
They also said they learned:
“I didn’t know we could play so good!”
“To concentrate on the bit you are playing”
“Look at the notes”
“About beat and rhythm”
“About different instruments”
“We played better than we expected and we were proud of our performance”
About the William Tell Overture:
“Busy thriving feast”
“Horse racing”
Roman Army marching”
“King and Queen sitting on thrones and servants rushing in and out to serve them”
A vast majority of children surveyed also told us they would like to do more music and wanted to learn a musical instrument, mostly brass!
Teachers and parents told us:
To find out how to take part in this project in future contact music@jackdaws.org.
This activity is supported by Octagon Music Hub, funded by Arts Council England and the Department for Education.
All of our events are also supported by our Patrons and we are immensely grateful to them and all of our other funders.
