Finland - UK Flute Exchange

On Friday 2nd May our Music Department were excited to welcome 20 flautists, and their parents and teachers from Helsinki.  The young flautists were aged between 6 and 17.

They went to Science, Drama, History, English and singing classes and enjoyed them immensely.  The most advanced flautists joined the GCSE and A-Level music students in a workshop with Max O’Hara, talking about life as a Jazz Musician and improvising over a chord progression.  Then they all got to fly drones before lunch (that included the traditional English scones with clotted cream and jam).

That afternoon, we held a joint concert with School ensembles and Finns.  The Finnish flute teachers Marttiina Niemi and Janina Lehto led pieces along-side Nicola Hopkins from Cheltenham.  There were collaboration pieces between our visitors and each of the School ensembles finishing with The Cancan, combined with Mary had a Little Lamb -  the audience went out singing and dancing. 

Perhaps the most important part of the day was yet to come; after the concert, the pizza arrived!  It was joyful to see the families from Cheltenham and Helsinki sat on the grass outside, eating pizza and relaxing in each other's company.

The following day, we visited Cheltenham Jazz Festival together - starting with the Free Stage in Montpellier Gardens, then a concert given by young musicians from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Siena and Hamburg exchange students.  In the afternoon we played flutes and games together, in a lovely church near the middle of Cheltenham.

We have made new connections and new friends, we are planning to visit Helsinki in 2027.