Music Students Raise £900 for Charities

Concord College’s charity music concerts were a great success last term. The college saw two teams of BTEC Music students organise charity concerts to raise money for organisations close to their hearts.

Concord’s BTEC Music course is offered to students aged 14-16 who have a passion for music. It offers a more practical, project-based approach to the studies, as an alternative to the more traditional GCSE Music course.

The concerts encompassed a range of genres, from classical to pop, and featured a variety of instruments including the piano, drums and saxophone. Alongside the performances, an interval filled with refreshments and socialising added to the wonderful atmosphere created by the charity events.

A brilliant total of over £900 was raised from the two concerts for the students’ chosen charities. The first of the concerts, titled ‘Fight Against Cancer Charity Concert’ raised awareness and money for Asthma and Lung UK. The second concert raised money for a more local charity, the Shrewsbury Samaritans, who are dedicated to helping those experiencing isolation and loneliness in the local area.

Head of Music, Mr Kokkinos, emphasised how the charity concerts play a big role in supporting Concord College’s key values of kindness, rigour and creativity. “I am very proud of our BTEC music students who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to raise awareness and much needed funds for worthy causes”.

The students are responsible for organising the entire concert, from choosing a charity, to casting the musicians and staging the performance. Additionally, they were in charge of ticket sales, which involved marketing the event at college and on social medias. When reflecting on these tasks, Mr Kokkinos highlighted how the experience enhances the skillsets of students in many ways. “The students have developed their creative skills set, as well as a range of transferrable skills such as collaboration, leadership, technical knowhow, confidence and critical thinking”.

“Developing learning and citizenship skills side by side is what education is all about and I am pleased that our students have matured as people as a result of this experience”.