The Young Musicians’ Showcase in All Saints Church featured seven students, including five from our school, with the performers playing to a packed audience of more than 100 people.

“They performed on a range instruments, including piano, voice, and flute, and a range of classical-style pieces by composers such as John Ireland, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and John Rutter,” said Robin Norman, who is Director of Music at Springwood and the West Norfolk Academies Trust, of which we are a member.

“I work with the King’s Lynn Festival to help organise the event by locating the musical talent in local schools and then putting together a suitable programme,” he explained.

“There are no other staff from Springwood or the Trust involved, but I do liaise very closely with Ambrose Miller, the Artistic Director of the King’s Lynn Festival.”

It was the second time the event had taken place as a precursor to the Festival in July, with Springwood involved on both occasions.

“There was a near-capacity audience of over 100, and, after the event, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with, perhaps, an element of surprise at the incredible standard that was exhibited by the young people that performed,” continued Mr Norman.

“One person even commented to me that they thought they would not have seen better in a professional recital.”

“The opportunity for students to perform as part of an internationally renowned festival is a huge boost to them as musicians,” he added.

 “Our students are used to performing in school, but performing outside, and in such a prestigious atmosphere, is, in the words of one parent, something they will never forget. I know that, in many cases, the students have gone on to study music at a higher level, and events such as this can be such confidence boosters.

“In addition, the King’s Lynn Festival then offers some of the students to perform in the main festival in July as one of the prelude concerts before a main festival event, and, indeed, we do have a student undertaking one of those this coming July.

“These are opportunities that do not come along to young musicians every day, and I am really grateful to Ambrose and the Festival for their support of young musicians in this way.”