YouTube pianist Cole Lam inspires Norfolk kids to play music

A 17-year-old YouTuber whose piano covers of hit songs have earned him a million subscribers has inspired primary school children to play a musical instrument.

Cole Lam and a group of friends from the Purcell School for Young Musicians in Hertfordshire spent a week with four different primary schools to create the Norfolk Primary Orchestra.

The initiative is part of an awareness project called Impulse, run by the Bushey-based independent school.

“Having a social media platform gave me the confidence to share my experience,” Cole said.

“Being able to do this is something special, and knowing that the music is safe for years to come is always a good thing.”

Cole is studying to become a composer and jazz pianist.

His natural talent was spotted at the age of four when his mother saw him playing a toy piano at nursery school.

He quickly rose through the ranks and began playing public piano in London train stations.

“I did it just for fun, but a video I made playing Bohemian Rhapsody at St Pancras station blew up, so I started my YouTube channel,” he said.

“I’m not very good with children, but it’s great to know that we are inspiring young people, because I would have been in their shoes at that age.”

His version of the classic Queen anthem, released when he was 12, has reached nearly 125 million views.

The clip was even reposted on Queen’s official Twitter page.

The spark for Impulse came from the Purcell School, but was driven by Cole and the other students.

Alison Cox, head of the school’s composition department, said the students were excellent teachers.

“They are always pestering me to take them to work in schools, so we trained them to work with children,” she said.

The idea is to give each school a section of the orchestra to work on – brass, woodwind, strings and percussion – and then bring it all together with rehearsal workshops and a performance in front of friends and family.

“Elementary school students need the input of adult teachers… but when they get an injection of energy from kids just a few years older than them, it really makes a difference,” she said.

“Cole has all these fans because he does things in a way that young people understand.

“He’s energetic and enthusiastic and he’s also a brilliant musician, and they identify with that.”

Primary schools in Dersingham, Burnham Market, Docking and Wells-next-the-Sea have been working on the project since January alongside the Arts Society of North West Norfolk.

Jillian Davis of the company said the fifth-graders had 20 lessons with their tutors to prepare them for the arrival of the Purcell students.

“This takes it to another level,” she said.

“Achieving this kind of performance can be a life-changing experience.

“Seventy-five children will benefit from it, and if just one or two continue with it one day, it will be worth it.

“It’s worth it anyway, but this would be the cherry on the cake.”