Salford’s Music Shed Hootenanny Facebook live event is giving children the chance to spread festive messages and make people smile with a lineup of Christmas songs.

The 90-minute concert will consist of one student per room, in an allocated time slot, performing a mini concert each, and giving Christmas messages to loved ones that they perhaps have not seen in a while. Then the performer will receive a little treat at the end. Then the camera will zoom into the next room, where the process is repeated with the next child. 

Dawn Luvin, 44, co- owner and business manager of The Music Shedsaid she could not have done it without the help of Janine Kerfoot, a mother of a Music Shed student, who is helping organise the gig. 

Dawn said: “One of the reasons were doing this is because a lot of people haven’t been able to see each other over the last 8 months. It’s a little different, and a little silly and lighthearted. People can relax because ‘Christmas is finally here’. 

Image credit: Jason Simon

We normally put on a Christmas showcase, the kids feel the pressure on a massive stage in front of loads of people, but I don’t think something like that would necessarily be great for the children right now because they’re already under so much pressure from the lockdown measures. So, I think something like this will be manic, but it will also be so much fun and a great way for people to work together again.” 

Dawn mentioned that the support they have received from families has been humbling and has helped to keep a positive momentum going throughout all their lockdown concerts. 

She ensured: “We are being careful about the maximum numbers we are allowing in our school anyway and trying to maintain social distancing. We will have a parent volunteer in each room to wipe down the equipment and clear up. 

Everybody can take a breather, let’s just have this fun evening for one night, finish the school year off with a bang, and hope and pray that January 2021 brings a little bit more of a calmer start to the new year. 

Hootenanny poster. Copyright music shed facebook page.

I just hope that it puts a smile on people’s faces because I cannot emphasise enough that there’s so many people now coming in and out that seem to be tired, their spirits are not high, their positivity seems to have waveredEveryone’s just wanting it to be over.  

If we do that, we will have achieved our goal. 

They have already starting to plan more gigs for the end of Januaryhopefully with a live audience, their bands have started working on their songs 

To watch the Hootenanny, go on their Facebook page on December 21 at 6:30pm. “From the music shed, to everybody out there, Merry Christmas. 

 

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