We had a wonderful experience with our Norfolk Music Hub Jazz ensemble on 29^th March. Children learned the basics of jazz and blues music – how rhythm, off-beat notes and syncopation create the ‘feel’. The ensemble group said our school was one of the best audiences they have had, with our children joining in enthusiastically with rhythms, riffs, sung refrains and coming up with ideas about oceans, swimming and plastic pollution for an improvised blues sad song! Children asked the group how long they have been playing instruments, what it is like to be in a band ‘on tour’ and whether the oboe is the hardest instrument to play. The group, all of whom are Norfolk music teachers, mainly started young, playing instruments from around the age of 6, and they have come together just for this tour of schools (and rather brilliantly, we would say!)

It was a great experience for all.  

Video clips of the performance are in the gallery here: https://www.hillsideavenue.org/jazz-ensemble/

The Year 5 children began their residential by exploring the site and looking ahead to the activities to come. Over the three days they took part in shelter building, canoeing, zipline, team challenges, fire-lighting and archery. News and more photos that were published each day can be seen here on the school gallery page here: https://www.hillsideavenue.org/y5-residential-visit-2023/