Children perform with musicians from the Northern Dutch Orchestra: « I was afraid of not doing something right, but luckily that didn’t happen »

Eighteen children sprinted the class as soon as conductor Dorus van den Boomen she says that they are allowed to take their instrument « quickly, but without running. » With a xylophone, trombone, bassoon or violin, they enter the room of primary school De Tamarark in Groningen.

There they will be taught this last Tuesday of March from musicians from the Northern Dutch Orchestra (NNO). It is the fourteenth lesson and the penultimate for the great performance they give with other schools in the Oosterpoort in Groningen. That performance is the starting signal of the annual children’s music week, which has the theme dream. The children’s music week lasts until 13 April.

This spring, the NNO will teach children of three classes of three primary schools in Groningen for 15 weeks. In times of cuts on music education, the orchestra finds it important to introduce children to music. « Fewer and fewer children are playing an instrument. That is quite worrying. Playing an instrument can bring children a lot. It is good for your cognitive skills and it also gives fun. In addition, children are also our audience of the future and the musicians and teachers of the future, » says Head of Education Joëll Doll of the NNO.

In times of cuts on music education, the orchestra thinks it is important to introduce children to music

In group 5/6 of primary school De Tamarark, three of the eighteen children already have music lessons. For the rest, these lessons are a first introduction to instruments. Every lesson come along with musicians from the NNO. This time violinist Caroline Babenderde is with it. As soon as she starts playing, the children listen carefully. « In the room where you will perform later, about 1,200 people can watch, » she says. The students look up shocked. « But you shouldn’t think about that, if you play. Then you are only busy with your instrument. That is something between you and the instrument. »

Plastic trombone

Then it’s time to practice. Conductor Van den Boomen accompanies the guitar, the students sing the song ‘Pizza and Chocolate’. Two children play on the Fagottino, four on the trombone, two on percussion and seven violin. « I dream all the fight. Nobody gets sick anymore. In all the places I go, music sounds, » they sing.

Van den Boomen applauds. « Great, that goes smoothly. You sing wonderfully, but can you also show that you think it is a nice song? You look like it should be. » A lot more enthusiastically, the students put the number again.

At the end, Van den Boomen asks for applause for violinist Babenderde. The children clap loudly. But then a girl says: « We get another applause? We have practiced for so long. » Van den Boomen laughs. « Do you know when you get applause? After the concert. »

A week later the time has come. The stage of the Great Hall of the Oosterpoort in Groningen is full. There are around 120 children on stage. They wave to the stands, where their teachers, parents, brothers, sisters and grandfathers and grandmothers are. To warm up, they shake their hands and feet. Then it’s time to play. Dozens of pones, a plastic trombone, shoot up the air. The children play together with musicians from the NNO.

The children play six songs. In between, two children are interviewed on stage. What do you like about the trombone, the presenter asks Toon. « Just that he does so Paaah, » says Toon. He immediately lets you hear what that sounds.

They conclude with the song of the children’s music week, ‘I am all’, of dream pilot, that singer Gerson Main sings with them. In front of the stage are students from Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe, who sing along with the songs. More than forty school classes from the North have registered to participate in the school orchestra next year.

Professional football player

A bit exciting, Jabril (9) thought it was, he says after the concert. « I was afraid of not doing something right, but luckily that didn’t happen. I played trombone. I wanted to do that because I like to make a lot of noise. »

He does not yet know whether he continues to play with music. « I also have other dreams, such as becoming a professional football player. » The goal is also not to get all the children playing, says Dol of the NNO. « I hope that if I come again next year at the schools that participated, three or four students from the class went to music lessons. »

After the concert, Britt (8) sits with her parents, brother and grandmothers and grandfathers in the hall of the concert hall. She has a red rose in her hand, which she got from her teacher afterwards. During the concert she played two songs. « I played xylophone. It was fun to do, but also exciting on such a big stage. »

Britt always felt like the music lesson at school, says her father Harry Hummel. « On Monday she said: Tomorrow we have NNO again. » He is also enthusiastic about the lessons. « I think it’s a great way for the children to get in touch with music. It is contagious, my 4 year old son just said he now also wants a trombone. »

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