About 75 pupils playing the recorder gave a concert in a church as part of Redbridge Schools’ Recorder Festival.

The annual festival, organised by Redbridge Music Service, gives primary school pupils the opportunity to perform in front of a large audience.

Children aged between nine and 16 and of all abilities, from beginners to advanced, played at St Mary’s Church, High Road, Ilford, on Wednesday.

Deveena Kalaria, 16, who is a more advanced recorder player, performed two solos showcasing a sonata from Handle’s second movement and The Entertainer by Scott Joplin.

Farnham Green Primary School, Seven Kings, Mayespark Primary School, Goodmayes, Chadwell Primary School, Chadwell Heath, Uphall Primary School, Ilford, and William Torbitt Primary School, Newbury Park, took part in the concert.

Maggie Goble, advisory teacher for music based at Redbridge Music Service, who organised the event, hailed the concert a success.

“Students played very confidently,” she said.

“This give the children, who play the recorder at school the opportunity to perform at a special event and in front of a large audience. It also gives them the chance to see how beautiful the recorder can sound when it is played at high level.”