Posted 12 January 2022

On the 3^rd November 2021 the Royal Albert Hall hosted the Music for Youth remix Proms 2021,  thanks to funding from Go Higher West Yorkshire, a group of eight Year 11 GCSE Music Students from Castleford Academy were given the opportunity to travel down to London and to perform at this one of a kind event inside one of the industry’s most prestigious venues.

It is hard to sum up what an amazing opportunity events like this are for our students. Getting a chance to perform at such a venue is usually reserved for the top talents within the music industry and projects like this, that allow students from any background to embrace their passion and get a taste of the experience, are invaluable.  Getting on that stage and performing in front of a crowd can be the exact inspiration a student needs to continue their journey into Higher Education and push them to challenge themselves, starting with finding out the best pathway for them and what support they can get during that process.

Rosie Weatherley, the member of staff accompanying the students, highlighted the impact the influence the trip had clearly had on the students, stating:

“…The look on their faces when we walked into the hall for the first time, and their reaction to seeing and hearing a live orchestra was worth the very early start this trip required! One student had never been to London before and was excitedly pointing out landmarks as we drove through the city. Performing at such a prestigious venue is something that most musicians can only dream of, so to have made this a reality for our students was incredibly special.”

Partnerships such as Go Higher West Yorkshire allow for these types of unique opportunities to take place, highlighting how important it is for students to not only be offered support and information on Higher Education, but also have access to the best events and equipment to enhance their skills.

The Year 11 band known as Theory of Chaos performed their debut original song ‘We Are Young’ which can be found on the CAST Records YouTube channel.

Video of performance:

We’re on!!! #MFYPROM2021 pic.twitter.com/im7udZcXzI

— Cas Music Dept (@CastlefordMusic) November 3, 2021