An outreach programme by the Music@Malling charity, which saw professional musicians visit schools across West Kent to encourage children to take up an instrument, culminated in a series of school concerts at St Mary’s Church in West Malling.

Children from the Discovery School at Kings Hill, Leybourne, Ryarsh, St James the Great, Trottiscliffe and Wrotham, were among the 15 schools taking part.

Some of the pupils performed themselves and then all settled down to listen to an orchestra play H.K.Gruber’s Frankenstein!! with dancer Daniele Silingardi from the English National Ballet Company interpreting the music.

Organiser David Kemp said: “For many of the children it was the first time they had seen a proper concert. They loved it.”

The schools concerts were part of the much wider Malling Music Festival, which included performances from James Pearson and his Band, swing singer Matt Ford, the Sacconi Quartet and a special concert to mark Shakespeare’s 450th birthday featuring Globe Theatre actor Peter Dyer.

It runs until Sunday (September 28). For more details visit http://musicatmalling.com/