Tuesday 18 February, 2014

The Basque National Orchestra presents the programme for the Music Room

Featuring over thirty activities designed by the BNO Education Department.

The Basque National Orchestra presents the programme for MUSIC ROOM. Family Concerts for all ages, Concerts for Schools geared to pre-school, primary and secondary school students, other activities aimed at school groups such as workshops on campus or visits to the Orchestra headquarters, Sinfokids and other projects in collaboration with cultural and social institutions. These are the activities that form the groundwork of the Basque National Orchestra's Education Department. And the public will find it all at the MUSIC ROOM. This season more than thirty activities have been specially designed for families and schools.

Family Concerts and Concerts for Schools. Over the past six years 41,000 people have enjoyed the Basque National Orchestra's concerts for children and teens. As part of the Concerts for Schools programme, in October and December 2013 over 2000 primary and secondary students enjoyed "Serenata" and "Gerra eta Pakea"; and now the show "Barrok...ino", a joint prodution by the Orchestra and Teatro Paraíso, has brought 800 children between the ages of 2 and 6 to the auditorium. These shows completed the 12-concert programme scheduled for this season. Then comes the Family Concerts. In addition to concerts in San Sebastián and Vitoria, this year the Orchestra is appearing in Bilbao and Pamplona, with the symphonic version of the show "Sentitu, pentsatu, ekin!", together with the beloved Basque clowns Pirritx, Porrotx eta Marimotots. The season's productions wrap up with "Barrok... ino" and "Gerra eta Pakea", on show now to family audiences, and "Sinfokeritan/Sinfoneando", a show based on the audiovisual Sinfokids which features audience participation.

In addition to the thirty programmed activities, the Education Department will work with schools to offer activities that meet the particular classroom needs, including visits to the Orchestra headquarters to learn more about the Basque National Orchestra, on-campus workshops for classrooms attending Family Concerts events, workshops for teachers, and Music Appreciation Workshops to prepare for a particular Family Concert event. Between 2008 and the present, 2600 people have taken part in these visits and workshops. The orchestra has also renewed its commitment to work with the Basque Federation of Associations in Favour of People with Intellectual Disabilities (FEVAS) and in the Music Room productions "La viola no está sola" and "Tantantxo/Plok, Plok, Plic". The Basque National Orchestra also continues working on children's programmes for other orchestras in Spain and abroad.

Convinced of the importance of building bridges, the Basque National Orchestra Education Department joins forces with other cultural and social institutions in our area. Collaborators with the Basque National Orchestra include the town halls of San Sebastián and Vitoria, Kursaal Eszena, EITB, the Basque Department of Education, the Basque Federation of Associations in Favour of People with Intellectual Disabilities (FEVAS), the Higher School Music of the Basque Country (Musikene) and Teatro Paraíso.