Schools fill Lowry with praise for creation
Friday 16th May 2025More than one thousand schoolchildren are set to raise the roof of the Lyric Theatre at The Lowry, Salford Quays, this afternoon in celebration of music, faith, and care for common home.
Pupils from 22 schools across Greater Manchester and Lancashire will sing in the debut performance of Songs of the Earth, a new set of six short choral songs inspired by nature and created by schoolchildren from the Diocese of Salford.
This new musical masterpiece has been developed as part of the diocese’s work with the National Schools’ Singing Programme, a UK-wide initiative to encourage the teaching of religious choral music in primary schools.
As part of the programme, Salford Cathedral’s Music Department has begun working with schools across the diocese to develop skills in song writing and performance whilst exploring a range of themes and issues in this new project called the Salford Songbook.
This first chapter of the project turns the schools’ attention to the theme of the environment in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ – a letter written to all people around the world, encouraging them to take urgent environmental action to care for our common home.
The theme was explored through workshops at the Diocese of Salford’s environment hub, the Laudato Si’ Centre, where six different schools and choirs worked with Bolton-born songwriter, Hannah King, to transform their findings into music.
Today, after months of development and rehearsals, around 1400 pupils from schools across the diocese will perform this exciting work for the very first time to an audience of education and environment leaders, politicians, music experts, and more.
Canon Michael Jones,Dean of Salford Cathedral, said: “Our cathedral music department plays an integral role in our parish community, helping people connect with and deepen their faith through the beauty of sung worship. Today, it’s particularly wonderful to see that impact reaching far across the diocese, through our Schools Singing Programme, enabling more than 1000 children to discover and explore our faith through the uniting power of music.”
Alex Patterson, Director of Music for Salford Cathedral, is delighted to see the work come to fruition.
He said: “It’s been a real joy to see our children and young people responding so creatively to the beauty of creation and exploring themes around caring for our common home. Hannah has done a fantastic job in bringing together their ideas and producing songs which the children love singing and which will become available for singing communities across the globe to enjoy.”
Emily Cahill, Laudato Si’ Centre Environment and Learning Officer, worked with the school groups during visits to the Centre, helping them to explore the encyclical Laudato Si’ and consider the faith-based importance of our call to be stewards of creation.
She said: “The songbook has been an incredible project to be part of. Through a series of workshops held at our Laudato Si’ Centre, children explored the late Pope Francis’ teachings in his encyclical Laudato Si’, bringing them to life through creative songwriting to really connect with the wonder of creation and why our care for it is so integral to our Catholic faith.”
To coincide with its debut performance, a resource pack, including sheet music and recordings, has now been made available to enable more schools to celebrate and explore the teachings of Laudato Si’ through the gift of music. Click here to find out more.
Tagged | Education | Environment | Laudato Si' Centre | Salford Cathedral
