YOUNG musicians had performing off to a tea thanks to a new initiative designed to boost their confidence, develop skills and overcome stage fright.
Barnard Castle School opened its doors to the public as students played a range of instruments, including violin, oboe, piano, clarinet and saxophone, while others sang for an audience that had enjoyed tea and a slice of cake.
The Late Afternoon Tea Concerts were the idea of director of music Simon Dearsley to give students from Years 7 to 10 an extra opportunity to perform in public.
“The more students perform, the more their confidence grows,” he said. “It creates in them a love of performance, helping them to develop of all manner of skills.
“It is crucial to perform. If you perform you learn how to have self-belief, understand that music and performance are for enjoyment and therefore you lose any sense of stage fright and how you relate to the audience changes and develops who you are as a musician.”
The Late Afternoon Tea Concerts are staged on a Tuesday from 4.20pm in Big School.