The Carnival Project.

On the 13 July 2008, the Riverfront Theatre in Newport was packed with over 300 children from 16 Newport Primary Schools for a special concert by Sinfonia Cymru.  The main item in the programme was Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens and the performance was enhanced by dancers from Independent Ballet Wales who are based in Newport, while the children’s art work was displayed on a large screen behind the orchestra.

This project was a collaboration between Sinfonia Cymru, Gwent Music Service and Independent Ballet Wales. Work began at the beginning of the Summer term.  The children in six of the Primary schools listened to a recording of Carnival of the Animals and the teachers, led by Francesca Wright from the Gwent Music Service, encouraged the children to write their own animal music. Dancers from the Ballet Company went into the schools and with their help the children created movement and dance to illustrate their chosen animals, while they also created pictures of the animals. These were enlarged and shown during the concert on a large screen behind the orchestra.

On the morning of July 13th 150 children from 6 Primary schools gathered in the Newport Centre and gave an enthusiastic performance of their music and dance watched by a large audience of parents. After eating their packed lunches they moved across to the Riverside Theatre for the concert and were joined by 160 other children from 10 more schools for the concert by Sinfonia Cymru.   The various animal pieces in Carnival of the Animals were introduced by Gary Meredith from the Gwent Theatre, reading poems written specially for the Saint-Saens piece by Ogden Nash.  This was followed by a performance of the Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky.  The children gave the performers a rapturous reception and the whole project was a great success, thoroughly enjoyed by the children, teachers, parents and performers.       

A composition project based on “A Soldier’s Tale”

A collaboration between Gwent Music Service, John Hardy and Sinfonia Cymru

In early October 2007 thirty ‘A’ and ‘AS’ music students met composer John Hardy and eight musicians from Sinfonia Cymru. The musicians demonstrated and talked about their instruments, performing individually and together.  They also played extracts from `A Soldiers Tale` as well as a piece by John Hardy called `Carn Ingli`, while John Hardy highlighted the compositional ideas in the pieces..

Over the following four months John Hardy will visit the schools and work with the A level music students. The project finished on February 28th when the Sinfonia Cymru  players performed the students' compositions, which were recorded for them to submit as part of their coursework.

Sinfonia Cymru is committed to working in the community at large.  In primary, secondary schools and colleges the work is linked wherever possible to the various stages of the national curriculum including AS and A level.  The school projects centre on the skills of appraisal (active listening), performing and composing and are led by Welsh composers and animateurs in collaboration with members of Sinfonia Cymru.  String, Woodwind and Brass ensembles from the orchestra also give performances in Day Centres and Residential Homes for the Elderly.  During the Spring and Summer of 2007 players will work in special schools, homes for the Elderly and Day Centres in Merthyr and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Through their involvement in the various projects and performances members of the orchestra develop skills which are becoming ever more important to their professional development.