Students came together to perform classic tunes alongside West End pros in an event organised by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and ACS International Schools

Some 250 students from London and the South East came together to perform popular West End hits alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and West End professionals at G Live in Guildford. Jointly organised by ACS International Schools and the RPO, 

A Night at the West End gave students from nine state primary schools and ACS International School’s three UK campuses – Egham, Cobham and Hillingdon – the opportunity to play, sing and perform West End classics, including Food Glorious Food and Just Can’t Wait to be King. The event was a culmination of rehearsals with the RPO and workshops with partner Performing Perfectly, which lent its expertise in theatre to help students hone their performance skills ahead of the evening.

“It has been inspiring to see the keen enthusiasm and musical talent of so many local students being placed centre stage” says ACS International Schools’ Chief Executive Tim Cagney. “This event kicks off a year-long programme of initiatives, where ACS students and our partner schools will benefit from the expertise of the world renowned RPO. We are committed to our ongoing process of collaboration which serves to enrich the education of our wider partner communities and ourselves.”

A C S G Live Charlotte Levy
Children had the opportunity to learn from and perform with professionals. Photos above and top: Charlotte Levy

The year-long RPO partnership aims to enhance both the international school group and local state schools’ arts education provision by giving students exclusive access to world-class musical and production experiences with the UK’s most prestigious professional musicians. The event also celebrates the ACS International Schools’ new Arts Pathway programme, which launches next year and will engage talented students in the creative arts.

“This event has been pivotal in realising our goal to offer high quality learning enrichment opportunities to all students, no matter their educational background. We are incredibly grateful to the RPO for supporting this initiative and are excited to see how young people across London, Surrey and Doha  will benefit throughout the year,” says ACS International School Hillingdon Partnerships Manager Rosie Peskett.

“This most recent project at G Live has provided students of all ages and abilities with the opportunity to perform with professional musicians at a commercial arts venue, developing students’ confidence and creativity and raising aspirations for the future. The RPO looks forward to developing its partnership with ACS International Schools and to collaborating on many more exciting live performance projects in the future,” says Huw Davies, Deputy Managing Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

ACS International Schools acs-schools.com

Further reading: Wellington College receives Platinum Artsmark award