Back in June last year, we wrote about the launch of BBC Music, an overarching strategy to bring music to new audiences. Today it was announced that one of its classical initiatives, Ten Pieces, is giving primary schools the chance to be part of this year’s BBC Proms. Two concerts on July 18 and 19 will feature Blue Peter’s Barney Harwood and CBBC’s comic double act Dick and Dom, and also showcase creative contributions from primary school children across the country.

The basis of Ten Pieces is a list of 10 works by composers ranging from Beethoven to Anna Meredith, which have been introduced to schools via nationwide cinema screenings for more than 120,000 children and/or a free DVD (which is still available to order). In addition, a series of free concerts by the BBC’s various orchestras is planned for May to July this year, starting in London and taking in cities such as Aberdeen, Salford and Derby. 

Currently, musicians from the BBC’s Performing Groups are holding workshops at schools across the UK to help them create their own Ten Pieces-inspired works, which will be used as resources for other schools. More than 200 arts organisations are also acting as ‘Champions’ for Ten Pieces, working with schools to help them produce creative responses – through composition, dance, digital art or animation – to the music. A range of these responses will be showcased at the July Prom concerts, where the original Ten Pieces will also be performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Thomas Søndergård. 

More than 8500 primary schools are already involved with Ten Pieces – which has the backing of seven Ambassadors including Alison Balsom and Nicola Benedetti – and more are coming on board every day. Teachers have until March 27 to upload their students’ creative content on to the Ten Pieces website. The Saturday Prom will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, presented by Clemency Burton-Hill; the Sunday concert will be recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 2.