Education ViVA

I Have to Leave my House
Oakham Castle, Oakham
5 Dec 2009

On Saturday 5 December 2009 young people and their families took part in a musical afternoon at Oakham Castle called I Have to Leave my House. This performance afternoon was the culmination of a series of music workshops that took place throughout October and November. Children from the Ark Association, Casterton Childcare Centre and Visions Community and Childcare Centre participated in the project along with their parents, carers and staff.

"Shame it is over! More please!" - Parent

sinfonia ViVA commissioned writer Hazel Gould and composer and workshop leader Jack Ross to create a story and songs for the project. I Have to Leave my House tells the story of mouse who had to leave his house because of the cat. He travels around the world visiting many different places including the rainforest, desert, ocean, Antarctic and city to find a new house that is safe from the cat. From Hazel's story the lyrics were created for the songs High and Low and I Had to Leave my House composed by Jack. The story provided the framework for the workshops and for the performance at Oakham Castle.

"Playing music as part of a group is fun and enjoyable and we should do it more often." - Parent

A series of six weekly workshops were held at the Ark Association and Visions Community and Childcare Centre. The sessions were led by Jack Ross with ViVA musicians Matt Dunn (clarinet) and Carina Drury (cello). Each week the participants followed mouse on his journey to different places around the world to find a new home. Jack taught the participants High and Low and I Had to Leave my House and each week he returned to these songs so the participants became familiar with them. The participants created new music to accompany mouse on his travels, using percussion instruments and their voices, to create an atmospheric sound world. The participants enjoyed learning new songs and actions each week that told the story of mouse and the places and things he encountered with Jack, Matt and Carina.

"The workshops every week were lots of fun and all children and staff enjoyed them. The children were always excited about what they would be doing and told everyone about what they had done." - Staff, Casterton Childcare Centre

The participants also created amazing art work inspired by Hazel's story. They created desert views using sand, collages of the deep blue ocean and cold Antarctic landscapes. Many of the children also made their own mice and built them a house to live in that was safe from the cat. Some of this art work was displayed at the family friendly music afternoon along with pictures of other artwork that the children had created.

"Thank you - all the staff and children involved really enjoyed themselves. We were really proud of the children." - Staff, Casterton Childcare Centre

On the afternoon of Saturday 5 December 2009 the participants and their families travelled to Oakham Castle and were joined by other audience members who had not taken part in the workshops for the family friendly music day. The afternoon was split into halves. During the first half of the afternoon the musicians were spaced out around the castle in zones that each represented one of the different places that mouse went on his travels. In each zone there were a few musicians from sinfonia ViVA and the audience had the chance to see and hear their instruments up close and maybe even try them out.

"Our children really enjoyed the performance. They sang beautifully and were excited about the Orchestra. They were very proud of all the photos about. They keep telling everyone about it." - Staff, Casterton Childcare Centre

The second half of the afternoon saw the musicians from sinfonia ViVA come together for a performance led by Alasdair Malloy and Jack Ross. With the audience seated on beanbags Jack told the story of I Have to Leave my House with the help of Alasdair and the orchestra. Alasdair used repertoire to represent the different places where mouse went such as The Sailor's Hornpipe for the ocean and Peanut Vendor for the tropical rainforest. The programme for the concert also contained High and Low and I Had to Leave my House and these songs provided the opportunity for the participants to sing with the orchestra during the performance. The event was a great success thoroughly enjoyed by all those who attended.

"Jack, Carina and Matt were superb hosts. Very friendly, approachable, caring and funny. It's a shame it's all finished! Thank you, it's been the best activity I've taken the kids to." - Parent

After the project a book was produced of Hazel's story I Have to Leave my House and a copy along with a CD of the songs was given to each of the participants and staff as a lasting memory of the project.

I Have to Leave my House was generously supported by Rutland County Council, Orchestras Live, sinfonia ViVA and Arts Council England.

Images from the project...