A brazilian extravaganza featuring three samba bands and a capoeira group is to be held at an Oxford school next month.

The event, called Samba Bonanza, has been organised by St Gregory the Great School, Cricket Road, whose newly formed samba band will be taking centre stage during the festivities.

Organisers have promised a night of ‘music and passion’ on December 5, with the event also acting as a fundraiser for the school and for the Abolicao Trust.

Band leader and school teacher Radhika Aggarwal said: “I think the school needed a samba band because it is a way of making music that is open to everyone. It is totally accessible and it doesn’t matter where you are from, you can all join in.

“The Samba Bonanza is going to be a showcase of various groups around Oxford to celebrate all the music being made locally.”

Performing on the night will be St Gregory’s Samba Band — the only secondary school samba band in the county — BOP Samba, Sol Samba and Abolicao Capoeira.

Miss Aggarwal said: “I think the children have been fantastic, their commitment and enthusiasm has been great.”

Between 10 and 15 pupils from across the school, and members of staff, play in the St Gregory’s Samba Band, which was formed six months ago, with BOP Samba supporting the fledgling band by loaning them instruments.

Now the school, which is a specialist music college, has invested £2,000 in samba instruments to develop the band, which played at the launch of the Oxfordshire anti-bullying fortnight, which started yesterday, and has also performed at the Cowley Road Carnival.

Anna Langdon, 12, from Cowley, plays the snare drum.

She said: “It is a great experience for everyone and it is really fun.

“I am excited about the bonanza, it is going to be great.

“Samba is cool.”

Olivia Lawler, 12, plays the biggest drum, the Surdo.

She said: “I am definitely looking forward to it.

“Some of us haven’t been coming for that long, but I think we are really good and work together well.”

Marley St Hilaire, 12, from Cowley, said: “Samba is in my soul.”

Doors to the Samba Bonanza will open at 7pm, with performances going on from 7.30pm to 10pm.

Tickets cost £5, and £3 for concessions.

There will also be a free samba workshop at the school, on Saturday, December 13, from 1-4pm.