"It so happens as Britten's anniversary is Friday, the 22nd of November, 2013, the hundredth anniversary."

 

　　Jonathan Reekie, one of the organizers of the celebrations, is Chief Executive of the annual Aldeburgh Festival, which was co-founded by Britten in 1948.

 

　　"So we had the simple idea that on that day, we'll get as many children as possible to sing some or all of the Friday Afternoons. We set up a website (fridayafternoons.co.uk). And on that website, we put everything that any school or children's music group needs to take part in this project. And it's free to anybody who registers. We have no idea of knowing how many children will take part. We think conservatively perhaps 100,000 within the UK. This great celebration of a great man will culminate on 22nd of November, 2013."

 

　　Britten, whose best known works include the opera Peter Grimes and choral masterpiece War Requiem, has been called the Greatest Musician of the 20th Century.

 

　　His centenary is being celebrated around the world.

 

　　Kevin Gosling is Director of Communications of the Britten-Pears Foundation, which will provide over six million pounds to mark the anniversary.

 

　　"The Britten centenary is being celebrated in 39 countries around the world, including in China, which is very exciting as I think Britten's music may be unfamiliar to many Chinese concert goers. Just recently there was the first performance of a Britten opera in China by Northern Ireland Opera, who performed Britten's children's opera, Noye's Fludde, in Beijing. And at the moment, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is featuring several events on Britten's songs and other works."

 

　　Other activities include Chinese songs, which will be performed in the city of Kent next month.

 

　　Britten was reportedly inspired by songs from the Tang Dynasty.

 

　　And in June, his opera Peter Grimes will headline the Aldeburgh Festival.

 

　　It's going to be staged on the beach in the coastal town, where Britten used to live.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Tu Yun reporting from London.