Throwing open the doors: how the Schwarzman Centre is creating possibility
For some children, a concert hall might feel like somewhere that belongs to other people. For the pupils of Oxford’s St Barnabas Primary School, stepping into the Schwarzman Centre began to change that perception.
Through its partnership with the Centre, the school has found new opportunities to perform, collaborate and connect with its local community – and, perhaps, to see a little more of what might be possible. Tania Garrod, music teacher, St Barnabas Primary School explains…
“One child was heard to say, ‘I think our school must be pretty important, because we have a church and a concert hall’!”
We were lucky enough to be among the first community groups welcomed into the Schwarzman Centre – and what a welcome it was! Meeting with such open, intelligent people was exciting and stimulating and, when we looked round the Centre, taking in spaces such as the concert hall and theatre made me feel energised and inspired to think creatively and on a larger scale.
Staff at the Schwarzman Centre supported us to put on a singing concert in the Sohmen Concert Hall with two other local primary schools. This was the highlight of the musical year. Collaborating with other schools or community groups has been an ambition of ours, but we did not have the infrastructure or manpower – the Schwarzman Centre enabled us to create these links and celebrate the local community.
A sense of belonging
One of the things we found most striking was the children’s behaviour; being in a proper concert hall set a different tone right from the start. They were excited and proud to be performing there; accessing the stage from ‘backstage’ made them feel professional and important. This raised the bar for everyone.
Some of our children with high-level SEND managed to stay throughout the concert, which we didn’t expect. One child in particular is extremely musically talented but struggles to maintain focus for long enough to perform, yet he managed to stay throughout, and to shine!
Making space
When we first told the children we would be performing at the Schwarzman, they were a bit unsure as many had never been in a concert hall before. Some of the children saw it as being somewhere ‘just for grown-ups and students’.
After our visit, many of the children couldn’t believe that it was so big yet so close to our school and they hoped they would be invited again. One child was heard to say, ‘I think our school must be pretty important, because we have a church and a concert hall’! It was a wonderfully innocent expression of feeling part of the Schwarzman community.
Discovering possibilities
Being in the Schwarzman Centre exposes children to the excitement of life-long learning. They were amazed (as were the adults!) by all the different departments and fascinated by the sight of people talking and working in the space. Many of our children don’t come from university families and it opened their eyes to the possibilities of further education.
Setting sights
Since visiting we have seen greater enthusiasm for performance from our pupils and, from some of them, higher aspirations for their future, whether that is in the field of musical performance or higher education.
Making memories
“His Majesty King Charles III has been a thoughtful and prescient voice on many of the defining questions of our time, all the while championing dialogue across disciplines, cultures, and generations. It is my hope that the Schwarzman Centre will contribute to this dialogue...”
Stephen A. Schwarzman
Beccy Harris, Headteacher, St Barnabas Primary School explains how, as a continuation of its partnership with the Schwarzman Centre, the school was invited to greet the King as he left the opening ceremony and unveiling of the plaque in July this year…
It was not only a once in a lifetime opportunity for the children and staff to meet the King, but being involved really strengthened the sense of partnership.
As the most centrally located state school in Oxford, we are surrounded by the University’s famous landmarks. It feels great to be included in this way.
Our community in Jericho is a real mix of people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe. The children, staff and families have really appreciated the more personal partnership that the Schwarzman has provided.
