Thousands of ecstatic schoolchildren in Bradford have made musical history, securing two new Guinness World Records in a spectacular mass-participation event held as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations.

A staggering number of students packed the Bradford Live venue to simultaneously break records for the largest gatherings focused on musical performance and learning. The event not only promoted arts education but also supported BBC Children in Need.

Double Triumph: Air-Drumming and Body Percussion
The record attempts were led by music workshop expert and previous record-breaker Tim Brain and certified on-site by a Guinness World Records adjudicator:

Largest Air-Drumming Session: The first record was broken by a group of 2,458 people participating in the world’s largest “air-drumming” session—the act of playing an imaginary drum kit along to music.

Largest Body Percussion Lesson: The second record saw 2,558 people setting a new high for the largest “body percussion” lesson ever held, using their bodies to create sounds through clapping, stomping, and snapping.

The children, drawn from schools across the region, had been specially trained for the event by the Bradford Music & Arts Service and were joined by BBC Radio Leeds’ Bantam of the Opera choir.

“It has been phenomenal to see thousands of children really enjoying every single second of the day,” said Tim Brain, emphasizing the positive energy and excitement.

When the official Guinness World Records announcement was made, the venue erupted in cheers, marking the achievement as a powerful contribution to the city’s cultural legacy. One student described the experience as “exciting and liberating to be involved in something that would go into history.”

The event successfully highlighted the profound benefits of music for emotional wellbeing and community spirit, ensuring that the legacy of the City of Culture extends far beyond the year’s end.