The Music Department at Bloomfield Collegiate School is very grateful to Mrs Helen Neale and her string colleagues at the Ulster Orchestra who have been providing excellent support to staff and pupils this year through the Music Room project. 

Since September 2016 Mrs Neale has been rehearsing the Senior String group weekly and the standard of this ensemble has improved remarkably as a result.  She has also attended School Open Evenings for String performances, and is conducting the Senior String group at our school concert next week, as well as playing in the school orchestra.  In addition, Helen arranged a string workshop day with three of her colleagues from the Ulster Orchestra on Friday 27^th January, which was a great success.  The pupils and staff  at Bloomfield are effusive in their praise of Mrs Neale’s leadership.  Having professional musicians train school pupils gives them a much wider perspective on performance techniques, and instills in them a desire to practise and improve.  This experience and help has been invaluable to the Bloomfield Music Department.