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In our school newsletters we will be hearing from different freelancers and
teachers to find out a little bit more about them and their experiences with
ENO Engage.
In our 2024-25 ENO season, 20 pupils from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
formed our Youth Chorus, performing at the London Coliseum alongside the ENO
Chorus and Orchestra in _[La bohème](https://www.eno.org/operas/la-boheme/)._
Music Specialist and Leader of the Arts at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary
(London) Helen Wiles spoke to us about this experience for her, the children
and the wider school community.
#### **Hi Helen! Could you tell us a little about yourself and your work at St
Josephs?**
I qualified as a secondary Music teacher in 2003. Moving jobs in 2008 I came
to St Joseph’s and fell in love with the ethos of the school, the support and
freedom to be creative that the leadership gave me, the enthusiasm and
originality of the children, and have been here ever since!
Our students are passionate about their Music, over the last 16 years I have
built up our extra-curricular and now over 130 children engage in our three
choirs and orchestra and our 6 instrumental teachers deliver over 70 lessons
each week to children in Years 1-6. Last year we became a Lead School for
Music within the Tri-Borough Music Hub which involves leading CPD, welcoming
other schools in to observe me and advising other schools as well.
**What did the La bohème Youth Chorus experience involve?**
All of our Year 4 and 5 children took part in workshops with the amazing vocal
coach Patrick Barrett. Some were invited back for a casting workshop from
which our final 20 children were chosen to perform in ENO’s La bohème.
These children gave up the final week of their Summer holiday to rehearse with
Patrick in school before joining the company for Production Rehearsals –
getting to grips with acting, moving around the stage, using props,
interacting with soloists and the chorus. This was such an exciting time being
up close to, and a part of, the phenomenal sound of the chorus, following a
professional conductor and working with a director.
The Sitzprobe was another big moment. This is the first time that the chorus
and soloists are joined by the orchestra and we hear the full sound.
Finally, to the Coliseum, watching the staging move around and learning to
negotiate that safely as they walked on in the dark!
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**What impact do opportunities like this have on your pupils?**
The obvious answer is on the standard of their singing which was already high
but is now stratospheric!
The children also have first-hand experience of all the different roles in a
theatre including those less visible e.g. wardrobe, dressers, hair, stage
management, props, rehearsal pianist and conductor.
Their horizons are broadened; they are encouraged to dream bigger and consider
areas of The Arts that may have been relatively unknown to them before. The
children have matured a lot in a short space of time. The effect on their
self-esteem, confidence and self-belief has been transformational. After
performing with the ENO, they know that ‘they can’.
## What to expect at an ENO Relaxed Performance
[YouTube Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/vsQ10wpI39g?feature=oembed)
Video
**What impact do opportunities like this have on the school and wider school
community?**
It is wide-ranging! Positive, encouraging ripples are felt by the whole school
community: there is an excitement in the air and regular ‘wow’ moments shared
in assemblies and through our school newsletters and Instagram. Staff and
children feel a great sense of joy and a gratitude too to be a part of
something so much bigger than ourselves.
As an opera lover it has been special to see the whole school embrace opera as
a relevant and relatable art form to engage with and enjoy. We love attending
the [relaxed performances](https://www.eno.org/whats-on/relaxed-performances/)
and I have introduced an opera unit of work in our Year 5 curriculum – it’s
part of our musical culture now! My Year 4 class are currently working on the
_[‘Finish This’](http://www.eno.org/finishthis)_ composition project too.
The standard of singing that the children achieve with ENO remains with them.
It feeds into the school community and raises everyone’s standard of singing.
For me personally, working alongside Patrick is the best CPD I could wish for.
He inspires me as a musician and as a teacher and I take techniques back into
school to use with our choirs which has a really positive impact on these
children as well.
## Puccini’s La bohème
[YouTube Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Empa0iX-9Cs?feature=oembed)
Video
#### **Has anything surprised you about this project/opportunity?**
La bohème is a demanding sing for such young children. Not least because they
are spread across the stage with the adult chorus and soloists scattered
between them. I was worried that this would impact the children’s confidence
to sing out, especially when in two part harmony. However, they rose to the
challenge magnificently, encouraged and nurtured by members of the chorus and
soloists.
I was blown away by the stage presence and volume these young superstars
created. I may have shed a few tears…..
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**What’s the best thing about being a music teacher?**
I am privileged to be able to spark a love of Music in the children and to be
able to facilitate experiences which create this, be it classroom lessons,
playing in the orchestra, singing in the choir – or with the ENO! I love
hearing back from old students – it’s so exciting hearing about their musical
accomplishments whether as a profession or a hobby, it’s humbling to think I
have had such a lasting impact and in some cases influenced career choices!
I get to create special experiences that children and parents will remember
forever. To foster skills, accomplishments and confidence that my students can
take forward into the rest of their lives.
## Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten
[YouTube Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/n4Z0vGKtuq0?feature=oembed)
Video
#### Favourite opera?
I’m a bit of a butterfly, it tends to be whatever is in front of me! I love
[Mozart](https://www.eno.org/composers/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)‘s humour, and
Turnage’s Silver Tassie has stayed with me as my first London audience
experience in 2000. [Britten](https://www.eno.org/discover-opera/explore-
more/the-beginners-guide-to-benjamin-britten/)‘s[ Peter
Grimes](https://www.eno.org/operas/peter-grimes/) probably wins overall
though, I love the atmospheric sea interludes and the huge chorus scenes.
Fair to say I think the [_La bohème_](https://www.eno.org/discover-
opera/operas/an-introduction-to-la-boheme/) earworms will be floating around
for a long while to come too!
Related Content: Related ContentFinish This… Booking PageLearn more about our Finish This project.Issue 2: Introducing Sarah LewisMeet a creative learning consultant and teacher, Sarah, who co-created Finish This for Primary schools.Coffee-break interview: Dafydd WilliamsHear about one school Music Coordinator’s experience of Finish This.Coffee-break interview: Emily StratfordMeet freelance SEND consultant Emily who co-created Finish This for SEND schools.