Outreach (2011)

“Here at Hampshire Music Service, we are very pleased to support the Festival, as its education work broadens children’s musical palettes by bringing professional classical musicians into the classroom. The pupils’ performance as part of the Festival is very special. And the free tickets for young people for the Ensemble’s concerts, courtesy of the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust, is something we’re very happy to support and publicise”. Adam Broughton, Area Leader (Winchester and Test Valley), Hampshire Music Service.

Stanmore and St Bede pupils join forces, Discovery Centre 2010 Photo: Bruce Edwards

All our musicians owe at least part of their early passion for music and their initial training to some inspirational teaching. Our co-director, Kate Gould, started to play the cello solely due to encouragement from her headmaster at St. Bede C of E Primary School; likewise, the music activities at Westgate School were a vital part of her early development. The support she received from Peter Symonds Sixth Form College, the Hampshire County Music Service (quoted above) and Hampshire County Youth Orchestra were fundamental in providing Kate with the top quality training which helped launch her career. We aim to complement Hampshire’s exceptional music provision with our modest outreach programme and free tickets for young people.

Masterclass Saturday 30 April, 11.30 – 1.15pm

This gives budding young performers a rare chance to be coached by the Ensemble and has proved popular with both young musicians and our audiences. The structure is very informal; two ensembles will receive approximately 75 minutes of supportive coaching, focusing on a piece of their own choosing. Audiences can drop in and out as they like at any point during the masterclass.

Informal sharing of school work: Thursday 28 April lunchtime

2009 masterclass coached by Kate Gould. Photo: Bruce Edwards

A highlight of 2010 was the informal public sharing of songs which Stanmore and St Bede Primary school children gave at the Discovery Centre, aided (and abetted?) by some of our musicians. The children’s creations were inspired by some of the instrumental music featured in the Festival but their contribution was all their own, guided by our outreach leaders Sam Glazer and Jack Ross.

We are delighted to be working with St Bede again for 2011, especially as this school was where our Co-director, Kate Gould, began her love affair with the cello. We warmly invite you to the free informal performance at lunchtime on Thursday 28 April at the Discovery Centre (exact time to be posted here in due course).

Stanmore’s Deputy Head reports back on the 2009 outreach: click here (PDF format).

Young people’s tickets

For masterclass and workshop participants and for any other young person aged 8- 25 years, take advantage of our free tickets scheme!

Daniel Tong coaches at the 2009 masterclass. Photo: Bruce Edwards