Music festival hits the high notes

Image: David Rutley MP with Cllr Hilda Gaddum, Mayor of Cheshire East (centre), Paul Reed, Deputy Head of the Macclesfield Academy (far left), and students from the Macclesfield Academy.

Local primary and secondary schools assembled to take part in the well-attended Macclesfield Music Festival on 10^th and 11^th February, at the Macclesfield Academy.

Split over two evenings, the Festival, which brings young people from across Macclesfield together on the same stage, was also attended by local Member of Parliament, David Rutley, and Cllr Hilda Gaddum, Mayor of Cheshire East. The event followed on from the success of last year’s Festival, which was also hosted at the Academy.

A total of sixteen primary schools participated in the Festival, with eight schools taking part on each night. Each primary school brought around thirty pupils, from years 3 to 6, to perform and sing medleys together, as a 200 person strong choir, which was backed by a band from the Macclesfield Academy.

Students from local secondary schools also performed a variety of short pieces, while a number of joint primary and secondary school collaborations also entertained the packed audience. A joint guitar and drums display by pupils from Macclesfield Academy and Parkroyal Primary School on 10^th February, then by the Academy and Marlborough Primary School on 11^th February, were particular highlights.

The Academy students rounded off the evening with a finale song, which was supported by the primary schools in the chorus.

Speaking at the Festival, David said, “It was great to be able to support the Festival again this year. The Festival is a really positive way of bringing schools together, and creating a truly memorable experience. The performances were superb, but even more importantly, everyone who attended could sense the enjoyment the pupils were getting from taking part and performing. I would like to thank everyone who helped to organise the Festival, and, of course, all the performers over both nights.”