Shrewsbury teacher creates virtual orchestra in lockdown

A teacher from Shrewsbury has created a virtual orchestra full of 70 music teachers from across the country and the world.

Joe Austin, who's Head of Music at The Priory School, asked his students to do something creative with music to help with their wellbeing while they weren't at school due to the lockdown.

He said he created the orchestra to set an example to his students, but also for the same reason - for his own wellbeing.

Joe said the process of creating the orchestra involved putting the idea in a group on Facebook for music teachers to share resources and ideas, and that people were "very quick to sign up to the idea."

They then collectively chose the song they sang together for "its uplifting feel and positive message in the lyrics."

The process to put the finished recording together took three weeks - one week in terms of planning, and two weeks for everyone to record their individual parts to a drum part that Joe recorded and sent to everyone to play along to, and for Joe to then edit the finished recording together.

Watch the orchestra's performance below:

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