Gartmore primary take part in historical performance

Jun 12 2009 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

PUPILS from Gartmore Primary School were at Stirling Castle yesterday (Thursday) taking part in a unique historic theatrical performance.

The youngsters starred in their own musical on the life of Mary Queen of Scots in the Chapel Royal in front of an audience of parents, teachers and invited guests from the local community.

The P4-7 children created the script, music and lyrics themselves after Rosie Locke, BBC sub-principal flute player with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and a parent of a Gartmore Primary pupil, proposed the idea for the creative project to teacher Liz McCormick.

Theme

After choosing Mary, Queen of Scots as their theme and researching their subject, the pupils each prepared a storyboard, with support from parent Eileen Calveley, on aspects of Mary’s life.

They then learned how to write music, from theory to practical application, investigating mood and fitting words to music.

Rosie supported the pupils in this, with all the pupils contributing to both the music and the words of the songs.

Support

Next the pupils developed a script to go along with the music, supported by poet and scriptwriter Alan Dunn, and finally they studied how to stage a performance, with support from Steve Calveley.

After performing the premiere of the culmination of their artistic efforts at Gartmore Village Hall on Wednesday, the children performed yesterday at the Chapel Royal in costumes provided by Historic Scotland’s Education Unit.

l See next Friday’s Observer for more pictures from their excellent Chapel Royal performance.