Chamber Tots
Chamber Tots workshops, held at Wigmore Hall since 1998, have proved to be one of the most popular series of events offered by the Community & Education Department, with every workshop a sell-out. The workshops give children aged 2 – 5 and their carers an opportunity to experience live music-making at Wigmore Hall and include a short concert and workshop.
Recognising the need to take these workshops to a wider audience, Chamber Tots in
the Community was launched in October 2000. The project has run annually since then, and Chamber Tots has now taken
place in 51 early years’ settings in 11 boroughs, reaching in excess of 1,000 nursery children, staff and parents.
Chamber Tots has also contributed sessions at a variety of conferences, co-ordinated the Early Years Exchange with the
Dalcroze Society and LPO, and led one-off sessions in a variety of Sure Start drop-in groups and children’s libraries.During the project:
- • A workshop leader visits the centre for seven music workshops over a six-month period.
- • Children learn about high and low, loud and soft and quick and slow: the basic musical elements
- • The children hear live music from three different groups of professional musicians.
- • The children learn new songs and sing them with the musicians; play percussion instruments as a group and with the visiting musicians; take part in musical stories; show musicians when to stop and start and how to play; and work with workshop leaders and musicians in child-initiated activities
- • The project culminates with a celebratory performance at Wigmore Hall, involving the whole project team
Staff training is an important part of the project. Staff are encouraged to identify and use their musical skills with children and are supported by the workshop leaders, resources and training days.
