Page 8 - Final_Coverage Book_Virtual Benedetti Sessions

2 April 2020

The show must go online! A guide to music

education in lockdown

By Elisabeth Schwarz, 02 April 2020

It’s as easy as apple pie: children’s laughter makes the (musical) world go round! Their sparkling eyes
and excited looks, mouths wide open – if you are reading this, you’ve probably been to a few family
concerts yourself, either with your own children or, like me, you borrowed your friends’ little ones for
the day. Their refreshing openness, honesty and especially the hubbub as the music starts have
made for some of my most joyful and inspiring afternoons in the concert hall. But what to do when
you’re stuck at home and, as a once promising talent, your musical showcases are now strictly limited
to the shower... sometimes for the sake of your own family? I followed Alice down the rabbit hole of
educational and entertaining online resources to save you some shattering reviews from your own
children.

Let’s start with the basics. What is an orchestra? Which instruments play in an orchestra? George
meets the Sydney Youth Orchestra to find out all about the different instrument families, from the
lyrical strings to the noisy brass – but what does a conductor actually do? Once you and your children
have decided on your favourite section, you can extend your knowledge with virtual instrument
guides offered by various orchestras. While both the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Konserthuset
Stockholm explore modern instruments, members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment dive
into the world of period instruments.

Are you up for a challenge yet? A strange object has been found in the Konserthuset and Iris, Theo
and Tara are up for new adventures to find the rightful owner. The Concert Patrol is an incredibly
imaginative way to learn more about the everyday life of an orchestra and concert hall and is available
in Swedish with English subtitles. If you'd rather challenge your child’s inner percussionist than
Sherlock Holmes, the LPO’s Timpani Moments are the ideal pastime. Find some oversized cooking
pots and a couple of wooden spoons and let your children tap along to Mahler 5 or – depending on
your tastes – Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances. Since you’re already building a percussion set with
kitchen utensils (it might be a good idea to order takeaway tonight!), why not try the
first #RSNOChallenge and create a Samba Band? Their weekly challenges will encourage children to
think creatively and explore sound in unique and exciting ways. And if you’re still thinking about a way
to use that long-ignored box of Lego, you can take part in the #ENOLegoChallenge and recreate a
scene from your (and your children’s) favourite opera.

Let’s get slightly more serious. Leonard Bernstein was more than a conductor and composer, he was
a passionate educator too and his Young People’s Concerts are still considered brilliant gems of
music education. They are currently available to watch in Austria, Germany and Switzerland via
myFidelio, but there will also be limited streams in the US – we will let you know once the schedule
has been announced. One of today’s best known musical educators is the violinist Nicola Benedetti.
In 2019, she launched “With Nicky”, an online series of educational videos, to provide information,
guidance and support for young musicians throughout their musical and personal
development. Aspiring violinists will find plenty to get their teeth into. For a daily dose of creativity,
tune in to Lincoln Center’s pop-up classroom, available on weekdays at 2pm ET on their Facebook
Page and in the one-hour-long programme of the house’s Chamber Music Society, Inspector
Pulse explains the world of classical music by solving puzzling cases. Who knew that there were
strings inside a piano?! If your family’s interests lie in opera, English Touring Opera has you covered.
They offer a range of digital teaching resources for their award-winning interactive opera for children
aged 7 to 11, Laika the Spacedog. If you’re able to dig out your German skills from school, your
children can help Papagena hunt the Fledermaus through the Theater an der Wien. Their immersive

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