Matt Hewson
Geelong Art Centre’s Family Magic series kicks off on Saturday, March 4 with members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) bringing their ever-popular Jams for Juniors workshops to Limelight Studio 4.
Children aged five and under and their accompanying adults will get the chance to play, clap, sing and dance along with the MSO musicians as they perform Greig’s Peer Gynt.
Workshop facilitator Karen Kyriakou said the workshops were universally loved by children, adults and the musicians themselves.
“I just love seeing families play music together and share that experience in the moment,” Ms Kyriakou said.
“It’s an all-in. Everybody that turns up gets a little instrument, it could be a shaker or sleigh bells or another small percussion instrument. We listen to the different instruments play and learn their names, then we practise starting on stopping on our own instruments.
“We eventually get to play along with the musicians in three of the movements of the Peer Gynt Suite and work on it together and then do a little performance at the end of each piece.
“It’s a full family affair, it’s amazing; it’s just really, really special.”
Ms Kyriakou has been bringing classical music to families through the Jams for Juniors workshops for over a decade, and said they were now one of the most popular MSO events.
“They’ve grown to become the fastest-selling MSO product,” she said.
“It’s exciting, they often sell out in a day. We do a series of jams in Melbourne every year, plus Geelong and a couple of other regional ones.
“It’s great to be able to come out to the regions and play, especially in the beautiful spaces that are out there.
The workshops will feature MSO musicians on violin, cello, horn, flute, bassoon and percussion, with children and adults able to join in however they like.
“It’s really about being immersed in a safe, inclusive atmosphere; the kids can roll around on the floor, they often start spontaneously running around,” Ms Kyriakou said.
“They’re being exposed to orchestral music in a different setting; normally you wouldn’t be allowed to move or make a noise.”
For more information visit geelongartscentre.org.au/family-magic-2023.
