An Intergenerational Project For Primary Schools
Charity Registration No: 1121600
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ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE AWARD WINNING NATIONAL LOTTERY EDUCATIONAL CATEGORY PROJECT - ARMISTICE CANTATA

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​Armistice Cantata is a brilliant production of words, music and images to commemorate the Centenary of the end of WW1. It was commissioned by the Golden-Oldies Charity in collaboration with the children's choir and music staff at Thornhill Primary School, Cardiff. 
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IT IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE to purchase for you to perform as part of YOUR WW1 commemorations. The information pack contains full narration scripts, music scores
​(SA and SAB) and backing tracks - 
see below*. Armistice Cantata performance time is approx. 30 minutes. The cost to purchase the pack is £50 (including P&P) 

How to order Armistice Cantata - performance time 30 mins 
 HERE is a pdf of the order form for you to complete and return to the office of the Golden-Oldies Charity. It contains full information and also gives you the option of performing Armistice Cantata as part of your WW1 commemoration events.

If you have any questions please email Grenville Jones, the founder of the Goldies Charity on:
glj@golden-oldies.org.uk
 
Here is one of the songs from Armistice Cantata - 'Son of Mine'
​This is one of the songs composed by the children of Thornhill Primary School and sung by them. A CD has just been recorded of the Armistice Cantata Songs featuring the Thornhill Primary School Choir. It will be available in July - watch this space for more details. Our montage of pictures below were taken at the launch in Cardiff last November of Armistice Cantata.
Your information pack* contains:
 
1. A CD of backing tracks
2. A second CD containing the following:
                     i.            PDFs of the sheet music /scores – melody line with chord symbols and the original lyrics. Schools may use this to create their own accompaniment rather than use the backing tracks if they wish.
                   ii.            PDFs of a simple piano accompaniment score for each song – for schools wishing to accompany with a piano.
                 iii.            Additional SA and SAB vocal scores for two of the songs - for schools wishing to involve a local “Goldies” group or a local adult choir
                 iv.            Word sheets for all the songs, and the narrative between each song/scene – this can be amended to “localise” the production to the area / community where it is performed.
                   v.            A Powerpoint presentation for use as a backdrop to the production – this can also be amended.
3. Hard copies of all resources on the second CD

The background to Armistice Cantata

 
The Golden-Oldies charity founder Grenville Jones established a creative team and, led by Claire Holcombe and Emyr Wynne Jones, pupils and staff of Thornhill Primary School, Cardiff were presented with an instrumental version of a selection of songs that were popular between 1914 and 1918. Other members of the team were Elizabeth Berry, Deputy Head at Thornhill and Alwyn Humphreys MBE, a Trustee of the Golden-Oldies Charity who is recognised as one of the leading choral directors in Wales.

 The initial challenge for the pupils was to research WW1 from their local perspective, visiting local museums and researching archives. This then led to the creation of new lyrics for these popular tunes from 100 years ago. Working with Emyr Wynne Jones the school identified 21 children from Years 4 and 5 (their names appear above the songs), and made available their music co-ordinator Claire Holcombe to work with these children. The final production is a credit to Claire, Thornhill Primary School and everyone involved in this project.

 The talented young people also wrote the narrative, which was presented in the first performance by a group of older people who attend the schools Goldies Cymru Sing&Smile session. The sessions involved some of the children setting the scene for each song by taking out WW1 memorabilia from a box and then explaining the significance.
 
How you can 'localise' your Armistice Cantata?

 During the months leading up to November 2018, in many countries, the focus will be on how the final months of WW1 can be commemorated. As those who served and gave their lives are no longer with us,  what could be more appropriate than to encourage the children of today to acknowledge and understand how - 100 years ago – people from their local community shaped the world in which we now live.

 2018 schools across England and Wales will want to commemorate the end of WW1, and we offer the Armistice Cantata as one way of doing this. Many schools may want their pupils to research WW1 as part of the curriculum, and to look at it from a local perspective. Armistice Cantata is a flexible resource that can be performed in its original form, or adapted in many ways to reflect local circumstances. Other projects can be found – including WW1 medleys and guidance notes can be found on this website.


Planning a WW1 school event? Please tell us - glj@golden-oldies.org.uk
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Planning A School Event? Please tell us - glj@golden-oldies.org.uk


Charity Reg No

1121600

Telephone

01761 470006

Email

grenville@ourmemories.org.uk