MusicQuest finale concerts across the UK
The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts finely-tuned project, MusicQuest, wholly funded by Classic FM Music Makers, comes to a close with finale concerts across the UK.
Thousands of children across the UK have experienced the power of live orchestral music due to MusicQuest, a project brought to life by The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts (formerly Arts & Kids) and wholly funded by Classic FM Music Makers, which culminated in a series of celebratory finale workshops and concerts.
Working with Yamaha Music UK, Classic FM, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Naxos, MusicQuest is a three-year project that seeks to introduce a new generation to the power of live classical music. Between 23rd January and 1st February members of the Philharmonia Orchestra met and performed in front of 5,000 pupils at five venues; The Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Warwick Arts Centre, Blackpool Ice Arena, Venue Cymru North Wales and Perth Concert Hall.
Children involved met musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra in a ‘hands on’ workshop before the concert, which gave each pupil the chance to try an instrument and learn different percussion rhythms with a professional musician – who they later saw performing on stage.
The finale concerts marked the end of the five month project which began in October 2007. MusicQuest has enabled 5000 children, aged between 7-11 years old, who have had limited access to performances, instruments and music lessons, to gain greater experience and understanding of classical and orchestral music.
MusicQuest aims to dispel the myth that classical music is elitist and does little to engage young people, and promote it as exciting and accessible to children of all ages and backgrounds. The project encourages children to listen and play classical music for pleasure and endorse the value of classical music in the day to day practise of teachers.