GIGS FOR KIDS
London Concertante have developed 5 different education workshops for 5-16 year olds, with which they have had great success in touring the UK, tying them in with their concert performances. These workshops are a blueprint, which can be adjusted and developed further, depending on the exact requirements of each school and the skill levels of the students to be involved. The workshops have been developed so that they can either be run in sequence, over an extended period of time providing new stimulation and insights with each concert or used individually, as self-contained learning experiences.
All workshops cover aspects relating to the national curriculum - working on melody, pitch, rhythm, movement and mood and dealing simply and clearly with the nature of sound and its production. Each workshop is also designed with time for a guided question and answer session.
GIG 1 THE SHOW A performance by a group of London Concertante players (usually 5), featuring a range of stringed instruments, piano and a woodwind or brass instrument. The workshop highlights the difference between the different families of instruments, but also demonstrates the underlying principals of sound production and shows how these principals are applied on the different families of instruments. This workshop also explores the way in which music can be descriptive of mood and gives the opportunity for simple rhythmic interaction between the children and the players. Further interaction takes place as students are invited to come to the front to conduct the group.
Suggested Duration: 20 mins - 1 hour, depending on age
GIG 2 THE FUNKY MONKEY An interactive show: part performance, part workshop. Schools will be sent parts a few weeks before, to a specially written piece, "Funky Monkey", which they will then perform with a group of players from London Concertante. The difficulty of the piece is adjusted to suit the skills of the students to be involved. Those without instrumental skills are given ample opportunity to participate, particularly with development of rhythmic skills. This is always a run-away success with the students, giving those with instruments the opportunity to use them in unusual ways, within a controlled environment. The opportunity to shout "Funky Monkey" at appropriate points is also greatly appreciated! Depending upon the students involved and the time allotted, this workshop can also include separate performance from the group as well short introductions to the instruments involved the techniques used in playing them.
Suggested Duration: 40 mins -1 hour 30 mins (suitable for age 7 and above)
GIG 3 THE WILD VEGETABLE GIG Sound production: part performance, part involvement. The show is based around sound production, particularly exploring wind instruments and we enhance this with a performance on vegetables, a chair and a didgeridoo! Students will also get the opportunity to play tuned bottles and hose pipes.
Suggested Duration: 20 mins - 1 hour, depending on age.
GIG 4 THE ELEPHANT DANCE Rhythm: part performance, part involvement. This show is based around rhythm. We work in smaller groups with the children developing rhythm skills. We then develop this with the full group, adding the idea of rhythmic movement using the "Elephant Dance" and Cossack dancing to gypsy music.
Suggested Duration: 20 mins - 1 hour, depending on age.
GIG 5 GYPSY TANGO Development: total involvement. This show is based around our current touring project, Gypsy Tango Pasión - with interactive versions of both a tango piece and a gypsy piece. As with "Funky Monkey", the music is sent to the school in advance and the difficulties are tailored to suit the instruments available and the instrumental abilities involved.
This show is particularly suitable for mixed age groups and as well as being very effective with relatively skilled instrumentalists, can be used equally successfully as a workshop with no previous preparation in school time. It can also be adapted for use with a group of children with no instrumental skills. On the day we divide into groups to work with those instrumentalists who have learnt the music in advance and to prepare the contributions of the rest of the group, with whom we work on rhythm and rhythmic improvisation, using percussion instruments if available. The finished product brings all facets together in a performance with London Concertante's Gypsy Tango Pasión band.
Suggested Duration: 1 hour - 3 hours (including breaks)