We are still buzzing from the experience of working with AMP Patron Sir Simon Rattle, who conducted the orchestra in a magical reading of Ravel's complete Mother Goose Ballet. The evening raised the profile of Apollo Music Projects, and funds to support our expansion into more schools this year. Simon gave a wonderful supporters to supporters and guests after the concert, describing AMP as "a national treasure".

Click below to see slideshows of wonderful new photos of this year's Apollo project by Andrew Aitchison of MoAna Multimedia:Slideshow 1Slideshow 2

It was incredible to see the children transfixed on the orchestra with instruments many of them had never seen before. For some children who struggle with their creativity, seeing their stories come to life with the improvisation of the quartet really took them on an adventure and made the goosebumps rise on all our arms! Since the project, we have used music in our literacy lessons to help build suspense and atmosphere in our writing and many children have told me they want to play an instrument! Could you play for us every week?!Amy Frankau, Orchard Primary School

The Apollo Music Projects schools concert at Hackney Empire on Tuesday 8 July was an amazing occasion. Over 750 children from Primary and Special schools in Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Camden, Haringey and Islington enjoyed a programme featuring Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony. The concentration and excitement was extraordinary, and the event was a fitting end to a fantastic year.

The Daily Mail and Telegraph have both published excellent articles in response to the Institute of Education's  evaluation of Apollo Music Projects. Full articles can be read here:Daily Telegraph: Beethoven and Mozart can boost children's concentrationDaily Mail: Playing classical music to your child can improve their listening skills later on in life

Congratulations to all who took part in the concert at Cadogan Hall on 10 June. Sir Simon Rattle sprinkled his magic dust over Ravel's Mother Goose, and Leonard Elschenbroich gave us a magnificent account of Saint-Saëns' 1st Cello Concerto. Sa West linked it all together, and the new film about AMP was a great hit.

We have launched a Support a School programme, inviting supporters or groups of supporters to match the schools' contribution of £1000 per school. We have already matched four schools, and are hoping to find supporters to match the remaining schools. For more information and a list of schools click here.

We are please to announce our first schools in Camden, Islington and Haringey as part of our 2013-14 schools programme. We will be working with Carlton Primary (Camden), St. John's, Highbury Vale (Islington) and Seven Sisters Primary (Haringey), along with Rushmore, St. Matthias, Nightingale, Orchard, Shacklewell, Southwold and Springfield primary schools in Hackney and Columbia and Harry Gosling Primary schools in Tower Hamlets, as well as Stormont House Special School in Hackney

Professor Susan Hallam of The Institute of Education has completed an evaluation of Apollo Music Projects, which will be launched at a special event at Shoreditch Town Hall on 21 January. Copies of this excellent report will be available at the event, and we will publish the report online after the launch. Please contact us for more information.