On Tuesday 8 March 2022, Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia had the pleasure of performing to children of primary school ages, from across the city. The theme being Heroes and Villains, the programme consisted of film music from many well-known films such as Star Wars, Ghost Busters and Pirates of The Caribbean.
The children in the audience were encouraged to participate in unlocking sections of the orchestra and their instruments, to gain as much understanding and knowledge of musical features as possible. They worked with Kath and Mia to identify the evil characters and the good in every piece. In addition, the actions and clapping that were introduced to the children, allowed them to engage with the orchestra on another level.
“I had a wonderful day and it was such a lovely experience which I am so glad to have been a part of. I hope to be able to do it again, next year.” - Laila Tabayashi, viola
The children were ecstatic which just made the orchestra members play with more enthusiasm. It was written on their faces that they had just as much fun as we did and we hope to have inspired them to take on a new instrument.
“Loved the energy of the performance. Members of the orchestra were enjoying it as much as the children were. It was so good that they can learn about music in such a fun way. The funniest moment for me was when Anna walked on to conduct, and lots of the children shouted ‘Stop! Thief!’ as they were instructed to for the game” - Annabel CD
Report from a Young SYCS Player:
On the day of the Children’s Concert, it was a blustery and cold morning when the orchestra met in front of the Rose Garden fountain at Southampton Art Gallery. Thus assembled, we set off for MAST Mayflower Studios, only a short walk away, and to our dressing rooms before our initial rehearsal and soundcheck. Despite the threat of someone falling off the stage, which was quickly resolved, the rehearsal went smoothly. We were shuffled back into our dressing rooms for a break before the show, and then our audience was arriving.
Led by Nia Collins and Kath Page, it was clear that the children had an awesome time from their enthusiasm to join in the musical activities in pursuit of finding the heroes of each piece and banishing the villains. Particularly delightful were the cries of “Thief!” throughout the show as new musical clues were discovered in the chest by musicians alongside conductor Kevin Withell, though conductor Anna Robinson was mistakenly accused of thievery when in fact she was preparing to conduct the next piece. By the end of the concert, the children had assembled a “hero team” from each of the pieces, and learnt about ostinatos, dynamics, and the different sections of the orchestra, to name but a few.
After the first concert, it was lunchtime, and soon enough we were back onstage for our second concert of the day. This time, various new schools had come to assemble their “hero team,” and their energy brought a bout of enthusiasm to the lag of another concert (the fifth concert of six that SYCS planned for the Spring Term!), starting off, as before, with Bach’s Toccata before the musical learning began! The children had arrived ready to learn, and were an eager and passionate audience that joined in with brio as the concert went on, culminating in an epic finale with ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.’ This piece features several solos from members of the orchestra, including the leader, and the children joined in through thrilling pirate-related actions. A swashbuckling time was had by all during the piece, and at the end the orchestra stood to rip-roaring applause.
Special thanks must be given to Nia Collins and Kath Page, for their leadership during the concert and masterful methods of musical learning, making it genuinely enjoyable and educational at the same time; Anna Robinson and Kevin Withell, for their conduction of the orchestra (despite Kevin’s assurance that conducting is “just standing here and waving my arms around”) and lively spirit which buoyed us through the day; the adult players who joined the orchestra; and Zoe Hunting, alongside other members of the Southampton Music Hub, for organising the event. They, alongside the orchestra, were the true heroes of the day.
