A COMMUNAL CELEBRATION OF
MUSIC ON ST CECILIA’S DAY

Saint Cecilia’s Day falls close to the mid-point of the Festival, on November 22nd each year, and the choice of the last two weeks of November for the International Wimbledon Music Festival was selected with this in mind.

The martyrdom of St Cecilia in Sicily in about 180 AD was particularly brutal. The officials first attempted to kill her by smothering her in steam. They then crucified her, and unsuccessfully attempted three times to have her head chopped off. She survived another three days, singing to God as she lay dying.

Throughout the musical world the Patroness of Musicians is celebrated in many ways, and we have chosen to mark it in an unusual fashion, not with a tribute concert, but by promoting a community ‘Performance Day, Merton’, activating performing groups throughout the Borough.

This year, as education is one of our primary aims as a registered charity, wmf is sponsoring a number of events in schools across Merton, providing a musical experience for all children in the State school system within Merton Borough plus pupils from some of the private schools in the area. In this we acknowledge, and thank, another charity, Merton Music Foundation, for their enormous practical help in organizing these events. ‘What is Merton Music Foundation'

There is no such thing as a “musical” child. Every child has the gift of music in them. All it needs to appear is support and nurturing from the early years of life. Music is a special art form - a child can display enormous musical talents whether they are in performance or composition.

Mozart, Mendelssohn and Britten (to name only three) all wrote important works by the age of 16. One of our finest living composers, Oliver Knussen, wrote three symphonies before he was 10!

These may be special gifts bestowed, by some mystery, on certain people but, in the right climate of education and family support, all children can enjoy and perform music. Our celebration of St Cecilia’s Day will enable the children of Merton to do just that.

EVENTS

• SING ALOUD. 43 Primary schools, 3 Special Needs schools and 8 Secondary schools will take part in pre-rehearsing, then singing a selection of chosen songs. We estimate 3,000 children will come together at a specific time of day in a joyous celebration of young human voices

• A RECORDER ROADSHOW, with the virtuoso recorder soloist, Piers Adams (from Red Priest) leading a series of workshops throughout the day (hosted by King’s College School, Wimbledon) which then combines the skills and talents of the children in an evening performance with Piers himself. This should be a real (and for the children a unique) inspiration to make music together.

• A WORLD MUSIC DAY to be held at St Mark’s Academy (Mitcham) new Art’s Centre. With the benefit of three respected music instructors, various music groups, offering differing styles of music, come together through the day from many schools in the area. The culmination will be an evening concert with parents as audience.

• WIHAN QUARTET – free concert at Wimbledon College.  Giving the students an opportunity to experience chamber music played by one of the world’s finest string quartets. 
We are grateful to The CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust for generously donating this concert