Year 5 Trip to The Firs – The Elgar Birthplace Museum

Set in the rolling Worcestershire countryside, National Trust -The Firs, the Elgar Birthplace Museum is a beautiful spot, with superb views of the Malvern hills. The peace and tranquility of this setting was somewhat disturbed on Monday when Y5 arrived, full of enthusiasm, for a visit!

The children have been studying the life and work of Worcestershire’s very own Sir Edward Elgar in their Music lessons. They have loved finding out about how this great composer rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most famous composers in the world. Elgar’s story demonstrates many of the key qualities that form some of our King’s Characteristics – not least resilience, perseverance and determination. The children have enjoyed discovering works such as ‘The Enigma Variations’ and the ‘Salut d’Amour’ and have relished the opportunity to explore some of Elgar’s ideas in their own creative work.

They were keen to find out more about Elgar and his life, and the convenient location of ‘The Firs’ made this an ideal research trip.  Both the cottage and the main exhibition centre provided a wealth of detail and gave them the chance to view artifacts such as original manuscripts, old instruments (including Elgar’s own violin, an organette), Elgar’s books and scientific equipment and other items from throughout his life. They were fascinated to discover that Elgar had a great many hobbies, including cycling, walking, science and dogs. Everyone worked incredibly hard, using the displays really well to further their research, and asking lots of brilliant questions of the volunteer guides in the cottage.

Sadly, the weather wasn’t on our side, so we didn’t have much opportunity to enjoy the beautiful gardens. A couple of groups got lucky and managed a little sketching, and the sensory garden also provided a welcome break from all the calm learning as lunchtime approached.

A picnic in the recital room was the perfect way to round off a lovely and highly educational visit.