Bracknell

More than 500 children from Bracknell Forest Borough Council's primary schools are putting the finishing touches to their latest musical extravaganza, Our World, to be performed on Friday (22 June).

Children from across Bracknell borough's primary schools have been fine-tuning their vocal chords for over 18 months and a huge choir will sing on the evening and will be joined by the prestigious BBC Singers.

The BBC singers are a 24-voice ensemble and form the UK's only full-time professional chamber choir.

Performing regularly with a wide range of period-instrument and contemporary-music ensembles, the choir often works with school children, youth choirs and the amateur choral community, as well as with the professional composers, singers and conductors of tomorrow.

The music for Our World has been especially commissioned by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and written by renowned composer Ronald Corp.

The brand new work has been party funded by a donation from the Arts Council, which helps to develop and promote the arts across England.

Ronald Corp is Musical Director of the New London Orchestra, the London Chorus, the New London Children's Choir and the Highgate Choral Society

He works regularly with the BBC Singers and has conducted various orchestras including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the RTE Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tony Eccleston, Director of Bracknell Education and Libraries, said: "Our World is set to be one of the borough's biggest events of the year.

"With the involvement of the BBC singers and renowned composer Ronald Corp, it is sure to be a spectacular show and I'm sure parents and residents are looking forward to it just as much as the children.

"It's an important part of teaching the arts in our primary schools and not only will the children have great fun but they will also learn valuable skills like how to work in a team.

"Our headteachers and officers have put a huge amount of hard work into organising the evening and I am pleased that we have once again been able to support them in what will be a very special evening."

Cllr Alan Ward, Executive Member for Bracknell Education and Libraries, said: "There is a high demand for grants from the Arts Council and we're extremely lucky to be given funding.

"This grant has enabled us to commission a piece of work which we ordinarily wouldn't be able to do.

"Our World is an experience that will remain with the children for a long time and as such we have been very proud in Bracknell Forest to have such events over the years.

"This event promises to be the peak of our productions so far in that is an original work written especially for us and in which the children have participated in producing.

"I am very excited to see the borough's children perform alongside such acclaimed artists.

"I am even flying back during my holiday just to watch the performance!"

Our World explores environment issues and highlights the topic of personal responsibility for preserving our environment and raises issues like recycling, waste, climate change and the importance of rivers.

The lyrics sometimes paint a bleak picture of what could happen to the world if we do not all work together to protect the planet.

An orchestra of young people from the Berkshire Maestros will be conducted by Ronald Corp.

The production has been put together by a group of primary school teachers and borough council officers.

Final preparations are now coming together for the show which will take place at Bracknell Leisure Centre on Friday (22 June). There will be two shows - at 6pm and 8pm.

Tickets are available to all residents and can be purchased from the Bracknell Leisure centre from Wednesday (20 June).

Our World will be recorded to DVD so that parents, carers and friends can relive the spectacle in the comfort of their own home. Details of how to get hold of a copy of the DVD and how much it will cost will be included in the programme.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council