Five thousand children hear Bible story re-told in song drama and music

As the lights came up at London’s Royal Albert Hall last night (Tuesday 21 March), around 5,500 children cheered wildly. They were there for a unique exploration of the Bible story, The Lost Son, retold through song, drama, music and even beatboxing.  

This was Prom Praise for Schools, and the children, all aged between nine and 11, came from 56 primary schools across London and nearby counties. Just over 530 of them formed the choir which lined the iconic Royal Albert Hall stage, flanking the 80-strong All Souls Orchestra, usually based at All Souls Church, Langham Place.

The event is run by the Langham Arts Trust and the London Diocese Board for Schools every two years, and this year it was supported by Bible Society.

The theme for the evening was Jesus’  famous parable of a wayward son returning home to his open-armed father. Each song was carefully chosen to help tell the story – from Coldplay’s Viva la Vida to traditional hymn Amazing Grace.

For the children singing in the choir, it was an unforgettable experience.

Eleven-year-old John, from Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School in Northwood, west London, said, ‘Wow, it was amazing! I can’t explain it. When the mixture of all the voice from all the schools came together, it was an amazing noise.’

Maruf, 11, from All Souls School in Foley Street, London, added, ‘It felt amazing to sing with everyone. The sound of all the singing was terrific.’

Many children had also been exploring the story of the Lost Son in school using specially-produced RE lesson plans. In addition, members of the orchestra have visited 35 schools across London to demonstrate their instruments and help children link the song lyrics to the parable.

Matthew van Duyvenbode, Bible Society’s Director of National Programme, said, ‘It was a brilliant evening, and children had a fun, immersive encounter with the Bible. With the RE resources for teachers, the choir experience for children, the school visits by the orchestra, Prom Praise for Schools works on a number of levels and we’re proud to have supported it since 2015.’