100 primary school children from inner city London will be coming along to showcase their work forming an orchestra to play in the main arena. In Harmony is England's answer to Venezuela's El Sistema, bringing instrumental learning to young people in deprived areas of the country. Children as young as four will have instrumental lessons and musicianship classes, leading to the formation of children's orchestras.

More importantly, In Harmony aims to nurture children's aspirations, self-esteem, creativity, commitment and teamwork. Three initial projects have been announced, in London, Liverpool and Norwich. Brendon Le Page tells us about his quest to bring more music to young Londoners.

The Lambeth project will be based on the Lansdowne Green Estate in Stockwell. "There are no gangs on this estate," says Brendon, "but estates within a hundred yards are divided into reds and blues, so that's kind of issue we're dealing with. We've had very enthusiastic support from the people we canvassed, but even then, there are lots of sceptical people, saying: Why is there so much money? What's in it for us? Is it just another government thing that's going to come and go? So there's a bit of work we have to do to convince them, but their suspicions are unfounded."

In addition to being based at Lansdowne Green, Lambeth's In Harmony project will also be working in the surrounding schools and by March 2011 they're hoping to reach 300-400 children. "We'll start teaching in April, in two cohorts," says Brendon. "We're going to start a younger group on a preparatory phase and an older group of kids directly on an instrumental phase. By the end of the first phase the younger group will have got to the stage the older kids are at now, and the older kids will be three years ahead, so in three years' time we'll have a kind of six-year process in place."

Lambeth Music Service is working with London's Southbank Centre, taking advantage of the world-class performers visiting the venue, its resident artists and the centre's established learning and participation department, ensuring there will be numerous inspiring performance and composition opportunities, as well as the instrumental tuition, musicianship classes, holiday music courses and children's orchestra.

www.lambethmusic.co.uk/news/inharmony.asp

www.musicmanifesto.co.uk/features/details/video-in-harmony-lambeths-winter-concert/24288