Education ViVA

Magic & Mystery Workshops
5th February 2007

Feering C of E Primary School - Glebe Junior School and Unit for the Hearing Impaired - Great Leighs Primary School - Riverside Primary School - Woodville Primary School

"My favourite part of the day was casting the spell."

Children from Chelmsford and the surrounding areas in Essex had a mysterious magical musical escapade with musicians from sinfonia ViVA during workshop sessions in February 2007.

"I learned a bit more about orchestra and some different instruments I had never seen before. My favourite part of the day was casting the spell."

Children from five primary schools in Essex took part in the Magic & Mystery workshops which were designed to run in conjunction with the Magic & Mystery Family Concert on Sunday 4 March at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford.

"It is fun to work with orchestras."

Workshop leader, David Knotts and two sinfonia ViVA musicians visited each school for a half day workshop sessions. During these sessions the team worked with a class group of students to create magical spells, learn a song called 'In the Magic Wood' which was written by David Knotts and create a new piece using a magic number squares as a starting point!

"I learned that the magic square could be turned into music."

The students worked in small groups and developed rhythmic patterns from the magic number squares using instruments they were already learning and percussion instruments.

"The children developed their composition skills - seeing the structure clearly and how it is important to work together to achieve a goal."

At the end of the workshop sessions, students from the rest of the school were invited to a performance which involved the students performing their new magic square pieces and helping to teach the other young people 'In the Magic Wood'! Matt, Isobel and David performed to the students and encouraged them to come along to the Magic & Mystery family concert to see them again and to sing 'In the Magic Wood' with the whole orchestra!

"I learned that there was such an instrument as a viola."

This project was generously supported by Civic Theatres Chelmsford, Chelsford Borough Council and Eastern Orchestral Board.

Images from the project...