Western Education & Library Board
Title: A Marvellous Medicine
Artform: Music and Drama
Organisation: 4 Primary Schools, Students from the University of Ulster
Creative Partners: Composer Brian Irvine, Ultan String Quartet, Live Music Now and the University of Ulster
Participants: 35 14 years +

Synopsis: A Marvellous Medicine involved, music Composer Brian Irvine working with, the Ultan String Quartet in conjunction with Live Music Now and the University of Ulster , and four primary schools in the Derry area. The four schools involved were St Colmcilles Primary School, Fountain Primary School , Drumachose Primary School and Steelstown Primary school . The pupils worked with the musicians and Brian Irvine on the writings of Roald Dahl. Brian Irvine composed some music to accompany the work which embraced a cross section of primary school classes and abilities, and not just those who were involved in the school choir or who played an instrument. In the workshops each school had to learn a song from scratch, memorise it and in some cases devise some appropriate actions to go along with the words. The workshops culminated in a very successful performance in the Waterside theatre, and some of the participants also had the opportunity to perform in the Waterfront Hall at the CYP Creativity Inside Out Conference held in June 2006