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Thoughts, musings and ideas about Classical music in London and Hull 
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family concerts

 
15 December, 2011
 

Just before Xmas...all is not quiet

It's been a few weeks since my list post, apologies for life took me on one rollercoaster of a journey for a brief bit there. Thankfully I'm nearing the end of problems and life shall begin anew.

My last post was on the "National plan for Music" a positive move for the government, which has given a few cynics like myself something to hope for, that won't be corrupted.  I was going to do a post listing some of schemes, concerts etc available for children/families in London, however I think a better time to do this would be the new year.

Anyway I wanted to write because I've just seen St Martin in the fields are doing a Paddington Bear concert this Saturday morning, here"s the link 
If I were 5 I would've loved that! May even go myself to see what its like……
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Apart from this concert I'm sure there's a load of Christmasy choral concerts going on right now, I have to admit to not being quite so keen on this kind of concerts, something of their tweeness grates on me. But I'm sure they're lovely for lots of people, and many would enjoy and get something out from them. Now I'm sounding all Scrooge  oh dear….
So to rectify this, although I will probably write again before Christmas I do wish everyone I great Christmas if they celebrate it and wish others who don't a happy holiday.

Filed under  //   family concerts  

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4 November, 2011
 

To Hull and Back part one

Just a quick message to say, early tomorrow morning I'm heading back to Hull for a few days, mainly visiting family, but I'm also going to use this opportunity to see whats happening. I'll be sniffing out up coming concerts, and other opportunities/events that engage with the public. I'll be reporting back here, but for now it's late and I have an early start in the morning so must stop writing for now. 

Filed under  //   Hull   classical concerts   family concerts   outreach  

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22 March, 2010
 

The (un)cultured classes

Lynsey Hanleys recent article in the 'Comment is free' section of The Guardians website, "The cultured classes" (19/2/10) paints a rather depressing situation in our schooling system. The implication being that unless you are from a middle class background, the presumption by teachers is that pupil have very few cultural extra-curricular activities. I would really love to refute this, and argue that teachers look on every child as an individual open to all possibilities, however my own personal experience from my time at school finds the opposite true.

If a child does not take instrument lessons at school, can that child be said to have an aptitude towards music? Maybe that child does, but doesn't know how to ask for lessons, or did ask and was politely told no (that is my case, and yes I'm still a bit bitter that the teacher thought I couldn't do it and told me "it was a nice idea..but.."). You don't even have to have lessons just to enjoy music, but many presume instrumental lessons are a pre-requisit to enjoyment.

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Filed under  //   Hull   London   classical concerts   family concerts   outreach  

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23 February, 2010
 

Saturday Spectacular

Last Saturday I attended "Saturday Spectacular: Wheels,Wings and Waves", Southbank Sinfonia's children's concert at Cadogan Hall. A concert held in the morning with the opportunity for children to spend some time beforehand indulging in some craft themed activities. The concert was fun and the music well played and excellently thought out. It's always a plus to bring some of the children on stage for musical fun, and this was done, in fact it proved quite popular, at one stage I thought all the children would end up on stage! 

Informal introductions to the instruments were made, and the fact that each section wore differently coloured t-shirts was a good idea. I could see that the musicians enjoyed the concert too,, getting into the spirit of things with renditions of "Happy birthday" and "The Locomotion". Light hearted music aside, musically they did not disappoint: playing themes from "Pirates of the Caribbean" , Ron Goodwin's "Those magnificent men in their flying machines" and "633 Squadron".  Prokofiev's Troika, a piece familiar to many at Christmas was wonderful and no doubt many children went away no having learnt something new from hearing the longer version of this piece. 

The only thing that I felt didn't quite work was the screening of the Night Train film, alongside W.H Auden's poem. Childrens attention spans can be short and I felt the film wasn't attention grabbing enough for the children. Despite this I can recommend the Southbank Sinfonia Saturday Spectaculars, as a fun and educational way to keep the little'uns happy. Recommended for all children between the ages of 4-10.

Southbank Sinfonia
Richard Sisson, presenter
Simon Over, conductor
The Next Saturday Spectaculars are:-
Bon Voyage!
Saturday 12th June 11-11.45am, Cadogan Hall
Kevin Hathway, presenter and conductor

and

Adventures in the Magical Kingdom
Saturday 18th September 11-11.45am, Cadogan Hall
Alasdair Malloy, presenter
Stephen Bell, conductor

Tickets for both concert are: Children £6, adults £8, four tickets £22. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea schools- one child goes free with every adult.

 

Filed under  //   London   Reviews   family concerts   outreach  

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