MORE than 1,300 children will be raising the roof at the Guildhall, Southampton tomorrow as they sing along with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at two special schools concerts.

Accompanied by the full orchestra, under the baton of the BSO Young Conductor in Association, Maxime Tortelier, they will be on their feet to join in with words and body percussion to the environmental song Eco.

The children have learned in advance the words and movements of the song, with its messages on how to save the planet, which was composed by Paul Rissmann, the BSO’s children’s composer.

It is one of the featured items in an hour-long symphonic programme with Paul guiding them through a whistlestop round-the-world musical tour, beginning with Ravel’s Bolero and ending with the Harry Potter theme, a surefire favourite with a primary-age audience.

“Nearly 4,000 children enjoyed this programme when we played four performances at Lighthouse in Poole in July,”

said Linda Higson, administrator for BSO Resonate, the orchestra’s awardwinning education and community team.

One teacher described the concert as “a fantastic opportunity to experience live music, something that might not be open to them otherwise.”

The children are from 13 Southampton schools that took up the BSO’s invitation to attend.

Since 2007, about 28,000 pupils have attended the regular schools concerts organised by BSO Resonate.