Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Ashton Hall, Dalton Square, Lancaster
Conductor: Bob Chasey
Leader: Julian Cann
The orchestra performed Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” at a special event for children, in the Ashton Hall on Tuesday 7th March. 450 children from local primary schools came. The conductor, Bob Chasey, told the children about the instruments, and showed the principles of how some of them were made, using odd bits of wood, pieces of old plastic pipe and lengths of tubing. He kept the interest of the whole audience and caused much amusement with his attempts to play his home-made instruments. Following this, the players showed the children what the real instruments looked like, and demonstrated the different sounds, playing excerpts from “Swan Lake” and other well known music. The whole orchestra then played the “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”.
The children were spellbound. There was a sea of hands when the children were asked if they had any questions. Comments included “It was very very very very amazing”... “Awesome”... “I’ve seen some of these instruments before but never seen or heard them altogether.”… “(the music) gave me butterflies” ....“Where can I get lessons on the double bass?”
And from teachers: “The children loved learning about the different instruments; hearing little snippets from the instruments themselves, and seeing them too… Thank you, Haffner!”... “I hope you do something like this again.... the children are still talking about it!”
We are very grateful for the donation from the Anne Speight Charitable Will Trust, administered by J.W.K. Solicitors, that made this concert possible and free of charge to schools.
