MORE than 300 young singers and musicians got together to stage a concert of world music.

The performance, in the Lamplight Arts Centre, Stanley, was the first of a series of events to mark the end of Forging the Future, an arts project in north Durham.

The £200,000 scheme sent professional musicians, performers and artists into schools in a bid to boost pupils' self-confidence and to tackle social exclusion. It was delivered by The Forge, Durham and Sunderland's arts and education agency.

Since its launch in January last year, it has involved about 1,400 pupils in activities such as digital animation, sound recording, singing, dance, story-telling and sculpture.

Funding was provided by Durham County Council, Derwentside and Chester-le-Street district councils, and the European Single Regeneration Budget.

The concert, dubbed A Musical Journey to Four Corners of the World, featured the 4 Corners World Music Network and pupils from Bloemfontein primary, Leadgate infants, Lumley juniors, Lumley Medway infants, Moorside primary, and South Moor Greenland infants schools.

Two secondary schools involved in Forging the Future will have their own celebrations in the coming weeks.

A group from Hermitage Comprehensive, Chester-le-Street, will appear at Durham's Gala Theatre on Wednesday next week, while students from Moorside Comprehensive, Consett, will be performing at the town's Empire Theatre on Thursday next week.

Both will perform pieces they have worked on with dance company Tin Productions.

Published: 22/03/04