Education ViVA

Beanbag Proms: Sparkle! Zap! Ta-Da!
Saturday 6th June 2009
Royal Concert Hall Foyer, Nottingham

On Saturday 6 June 2009 sinfonia ViVA, Julia Damassa as Beanie Bear and Alasdair Malloy all joined together once again in the Royal Concert Hall Foyer in Nottingham for the latest in the popular Beanbag Proms series for Sparkle! Zap! Ta da!

"I run pre-school children’s music groups in Nottingham and so know the power of music and see it’s effects on my children everyday." - Parent

The concert, which was centered on the theme of magic, began with ViVA musicians each playing their own magical theme and entering the stage from different areas of the foyer. Following this, the appearance of Beanie Bear and her special song allowed children and parents alike to join in and sing along.

"We always come, my daughter is hard of hearing but really enjoys these concerts." - Parent

The concert continued with the ViVA musicians performing Johann Strauss' Perpetuum Mobile. By the end of the piece the children were ready to conjure up some magical spells!

"The overall concept is very effective. The children and parents seem to enjoy themselves and as a musician I enjoy performing in these concerts." - Musician

Throughout the concert the children were encouraged to move with the music, displaying some magical creeping actions while listening to Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King, experimenting with different shoemaking actions in The Elfin Shoemaker, and relaxing on their beanbags to music from Beauty and the Beast.

"It was all super!." - Parent

"The amazing xylophone duet was the best part of the performance." - Parent

The highlight of the concert was without doubt The Two Imps xylophone duet which saw Alasdair and Jeremy get up to comical fun and games dressed as imps, much to the children's (and parent's!) delight.

"It's great to see musicians dressing up – they seem to really enjoy the Proms and it's great they get so involved with it." - Parent

Beanie Bear, Alasdair and the children all danced along to the last piece of the concert, Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones before having the chance to meet the musicians and even have a go on some of the instruments. This is always a highlight of the Beanbag Proms series and is enjoyed by all as it encourages younger children to hear and play instruments that they may not have encountered before.

"Audience participation and the evident interest of the children in the instruments after the prom indicate a job well done during the concert." - Parent

This work has been generously supported by Arts Council England, Nottingham City Council, Orchestras Live and the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. We would also like to acknowledge the generous support of John Lewis, Nottingham; The Whitaker Charitable Trust, Helen Jean Cope Trust, D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and the JN Derbyshire Charitable Trust.

Images from the project...