Through Cato, Joona and Lodewijk we get to know the Koorschool in Haarlem a little better every episode. We follow the students in what they experience. Not with the regular subjects, because they are the same for all primary schools, but with music lessons. It occupies a special place in their school.
In this final episode, Cato also sees the end of her time at school. She’s nervous about what school advice she’s getting. Joona selects simple Christmas songs to sing in front of the supermarket with a group and Lodewijk is in full costume at Christmas dinner.
The Christmas Concert
To close the year, the children perform in the church with a resounding Christmas concert. Joona sings a solo, which he works hard on beforehand. And Lodewijk is looking forward to giving this concert. Because he now has experience with an ordinary concert, but a Christmas concert: that is very special.
There are only two choir schools in the Netherlands. The one in Haarlem is the oldest. Primary education has been combined with music lessons here every day for seventy years. And outside school hours, the students sing along in the church choir of St. Bavo. What they are for children and what they experience at school: we see that in the documentary series “The Children of the Choir School”.
“The Children of the Koorschool” is a six-part docu-series, which was made on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Koorschool Haarlem. The series follows a number of children and through them gives a picture of this special primary school, where music education is emphatically on the program. Watch all episodes here.
Direction: Tessa Louise Pope
production: Cottaar Media TV Productions