More than 700 primary school pupils from across the London Borough of Haringey took to the stage at Drumsheds in Tottenham on 10 July 2026, performing for an audience of around 2,000 people in a large-scale celebration of music education. The event marked the conclusion of the 2025/26 academic year for Haringey Music Service’s Whole Class Instrumental Teaching (WCIT) programme.

Year 4 children drawn from 17 local schools played brass instruments, guitars, percussion and strings in what organisers described as a landmark moment for music education in the borough. The concert brought together friends, family members and community supporters, underscoring the breadth of engagement the programme has generated since its inception.

What is the Whole Class Instrumental Teaching Programme?

The WCIT programme is a 30-week initiative run by Haringey Music Service (HMS), which acts as the lead organisation for music education across the borough. The scheme guarantees every child in participating year groups the opportunity to learn a musical instrument as part of the standard school curriculum, removing financial and logistical barriers that might otherwise prevent access to music tuition. Such programmes align with the broader national ambition, set out in the government’s Model Music Curriculum and associated Music Education Hubs framework, to ensure that every child in England receives a meaningful musical education regardless of background or circumstance.

HMS delivered the event in partnership with production and events companies 9.8 and Broadwick Live. Drumsheds, the large-scale indoor venue situated in Tottenham, provided a fitting backdrop — its scale capable of accommodating both the large performing ensemble and the substantial audience.

Dignitaries and Community Leaders Attend

The occasion attracted a number of prominent local and political figures. The Mayor of Haringey, Councillor Dawn Barnes, attended alongside the council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, Councillor Georgia Twigg, and the Director of Culture and Communities, Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE. The MP for Southgate and Wood Green, Bambos Charalambous, was also present.

A speech was delivered by El Shaddai Sileshi, the Leader of Haringey Youth Council, giving the event added significance as a moment of civic recognition for young people’s achievements in the borough.

Wider Significance for North London

The concert was presented as a demonstration of the transformative potential of sustained music education, with organisers highlighting both the creative and cultural benefits for pupils in one of London’s more diverse and economically varied boroughs. Haringey, which stretches from the relatively affluent areas of Muswell Hill and Crouch End in the west to the more deprived communities of Tottenham in the east, has long sought to use cultural programming as a means of fostering community cohesion and expanding opportunities for young residents.

The involvement of Drumsheds — a venue more commonly associated with large-scale music events and club nights — added a distinctive character to the occasion, signalling the venue’s commitment to community engagement beyond its commercial programming. The partnership with Broadwick Live, which operates a number of major UK venues, further demonstrated the potential for professional arts organisations to support grassroots music education initiatives.

Haringey Music Service provides instrumental tuition, ensembles, choirs and other musical opportunities to children and young people across the borough, working in close partnership with local schools and the wider music education sector.