Pupils star on festive CD

YOUNG singers from a Warrington primary school are striking a chord with audiences around the country with the release of a Christmas CD.
Around 130,000 copies of the album are being distributed with The People’s Friend magazine in the run-up to the festive season.
Six pupils from Stockton Heath Primary School were chosen to perform the 18 tracks – 12 carols and six readings – in a series of recording sessions over the summer.
The CD’s producers believe it is one of the best recordings they have ever made.
The chance to make the recording came about because of links between Year 3 teacher Jayne Mercer-Smith and Cheshire music publishers Doodle Box.
Mrs Mercer-Smith said: “They have been pitching to provide the CD for The People’s Friend for many years and they said this year they wanted to do a recording with children.
“I told them I knew some children who could sing and so I just jumped at the opportunity. We didn’t have much time to rehearse, just a couple of snatched half hours at lunchtime, but the owners said it was one of the best recordings they’ve ever done.”
The team of singers included three Year 3 pupils, now in Year 4, and three Year 6 pupils who have since gone on to Bridgewater high school, as well as Mrs Mercer-Smith’s 13-year-old daughter Lydia.
“The children loved the whole experience of being in a recording studio. The producers wanted a sound that resembled children singing under the Christmas tree in the village square – something childlike, basically – and they were thrilled with the result,” added Jayne.
“Everyone at the studio was amazed that they hadn’t been rehearsing for ages, and the children were really well behaved and a real credit to the school.
“They were fascinated by how the studio worked, listening to themselves and how their voices overlapped. I’m really pleased with the way they performed!”
The CD, called “Glad tidings – The Christmas story in song and readings”, features festive favourites such as Once in Royal David’s City and Good King Wenceslas, interspersed with Bible readings recounting the Christmas story.
The pupils who took part in the recordings were: Lucy Butler, Alex Talbot-Wilson and Grace Wallace, all now Year 7 pupils at Bridgewater High School, and Elliot Hankinson, Katie Poole and Ben Stringer, all now Year 4 pupils at Stockton Heath Primary School.