SOME of the country's leading jazz musicians popped into an Ulverston school to show off their skills.

Ambassadors from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, one of the elite musical youth ensembles, visited Ulverston Victoria High School on Thursday to deliver a workshop led by jazz pianist and composer Andrea Vicari.

The lesson focused on whole-band performance and jazz improvisation to let the pupils express themselves..

Pupils of the jazz band were left gob-smacked at the level of quality, especially the 10-minute introduction performance by the orchestra.

Mrs Vicari is also a senior lecturer at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London - one of the leading jazz colleges in Britain.

She said it is great to be involved with schools and encouraging students to play jazz.

She said: “The experience is invaluable to these pupils and it is great for them to play music.

“When you see a school in a small town, and the teacher has produced such a strong band, you know they have worked extremely hard.

“Today was really exciting and interesting. It was great to be involved.”

UVHS big band recently toured Paris, performing at various landmarks.

The pupils gave a televised concert from Disneyland on Bastille Day.

They also performed at Paris International Music Festival just before the World Cup Final.

Richard Butler MBE, Performing Arts Subject Leader at UVHS, said the workshop was once in a lifetime.

He said: “Our jazz band is a big focus at UVHS.

“We do a lot of work in Cumbria and in the North West.

“It was brilliant for the students because most of them have not experienced anything like this before.”

Mr Butler added: “To get a workshop with top professionals and an artist like Andrea Vicari is amazing.

“The pupils will remember this and it will make them much better players.”