Platform One recently took it’s 2024 Wight Noize winner, Marnie Marie, on a tour of the Isle of Wight performing at no fewer than 23 local primary schools. The music education establishment reached out to primary schools on the Island as an attempt to inspire and educate young people on the benefits of music. The recent National Plan for Education aims to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, while having the opportunity to progress their musical interests (including professionally). The tour commenced on Wednesday 26th June and ran until Thursday 11th July, visiting a total of 23 primary schools. Andy Booth, Organiser and Music Industry Liaison at Platform One, says:
“As music professionals we have a duty to ensure that all children get the opportunity to experience music in one way or another. Using our resources at Platform One we have been able to reach out to local schools and offer a live, interactive workshop that will not only give them a sample of live music but open the doors to learning an instrument. “If we have encouraged even a quarter of the children we performed for over the tour to pick up an instrument then that can be seen as a huge success”.
Marnie Marie and her band – consisting of Marnie, Will Vincent, Kieran Hopewell and Lewis Hilsum – are all studying full-time at Platform One and relished the opportunity to perform for the children. A spokesperson for Brighstone Primary School, 1 of the 23 schools visited, has said:
“There was just the perfect combination of great music and interaction with the children for a wonderful afternoon. It was really obvious that the children were engaged, with toes tapping, hands clapping and heads nodding all around. The children asked good questions too and this only happens when they’re inspired. It was also very special for us to see Marnie again, as she is an ex-pupil of our school.”
