All classes in a Sunderland school (Yrs1-6) worked towards a production based on the geography, history and music of their local river. We incorporated a nativity into the project as well and included sections on lead-mining in Upper Weardale, shipbuilding in Sunderland (in which we created a shipyard soundscape made of home-made instruments and found sounds), the history of glass-making (including music for a glass orchestra), St. Cuthbert’s Shrine in Durham; the legends of the Pollard Brawn and Lambton Worm; and the Romans in Chester-le-Street. There were elements of singing, instrumental performing, movement, art and composing with much cross-curricular work in history, geography, DT, art, PE, literacy and science. This project introduced the children to contemporary music through composing their own, and also performing new and traditional Wearside music. The Shipyard Soundscape, the Glass Orchestra and our Invocation to the God of the Confluence, Condatis, were all composed collaboratively with music and words from the participants garnered into a final performance by myself.