City's schools set two musical world records

Carl White from Bradford Council's Music and Arts Service (centre left) and Tracy Gee (centre right), BBC executive producer for Bradford 2025, holding the world record certificates

Thousands of school children in Bradford have helped set two new musical world records as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations.

The record for the number of people involved in the world's largest "air-drumming" session was broken by a group of 2,458 people at the Bradford Live venue on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 2,558 people were involved in setting a record for the largest "body percussion" lesson ever held.

The event, which also supported BBC Children in Need, was led by world record-breaker Tim Brain, who hosted the world's largest percussion ensemble in 2023.

Air-drumming is playing an imaginary drum kit along to music, while body percussion involves using the body to make sounds, such as clapping and stomping.

The children involved in the Bradford event were trained by the city's Music & Arts Service and BBC Radio Leeds' Bantam of the Opera choir, who also took part in the record-breaking event.

Mr Brain, from the Louder Than Life music workshop, said it had been "phenomenal" to see thousands of children "really enjoying every single second of the day, from the moment they walked in and saw the amazing venue, to taking part in all the amazing activities".

When Glenn Pollard, from Guinness World Records, announced the huge ensemble had set two world records, the venue erupted with the noise of thousands of children clapping and cheering.

Asked for their reaction to the news, one of the air-drummers involved said it had been "exciting and liberating to be involved in something that would go into history".

BBC Radio Leeds' Bantam of the Opera choir led children in their attempt

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