Music Flood Week is an annual week of music, led by the Radley College Music Department in partnership with guest professional musicians and the Abingdon Music Centre. The week aims to fill schools with music and inspire pupils (and their parents and teachers) to make music a core part of their lives for the rest of the year.
Music Flood Week 2023 drew together songs and musical experiences inspired by some of the wonderful folk traditions in the UK.
The culmination of the week was a massed celebration in Abingdon Market Place on Friday, with over 400 children from schools in the Music Flood partnerships joining with Radley College pupils and our guests from the week: folk band Moonaroon and Valeu Brazilian Arts. It was a joyous morning of music in glorious sunshine, with a huge audience in support. Rose Martin from Radley College led the children in a vibrant singing warm up before joining with Moonaroon for songs and dancing. Children from several schools joined the samba band, whilst others in the audience joined in with homemade percussion instruments, created a wave of sound that reverberated around the square. The morning ended with everyone in the Market Place on their feet dancing and singing to the folk classic Rattlin’ Bog.
The week began with inspirational assemblies in 14 primary schools across the town devised and led by teenage musicians from Radley College, who later returned to the schools to busk in the afternoon as parents arrived to pick up their children. Over 2000 children enjoyed live music on Monday and other highlights of the week included performances of an inspiring folk musical ‘Evergreen’ to Key Stage 1 pupils, singing workshops led by visiting professional singers alongside secondary school pupils and a massed folk improvisation workshop in partnership with the Abingdon Music Centre and Radley College.
The Week in Numbers
400
Children attended the Celebration in Abingdon Market Place
14
Partner Primary Schools
5
Partner Secondary Schools
