Leeds Lieder – Introducing Young People to Classical Song
Leeds Lieder are offering exciting opportunities for young people across Leeds to broaden their cultural horizons, explore their talents, and develop their voices through two education projects funded in part by Leeds Music Education Partnership: Discovering Lieder (KS2) and Cool Lieder (KS3).
The award winning Discovering Lieder Project introduces KS2 children to the world of Art Song and the joys of attending a classical concert. The project takes place over one week in which the Lieder visit each participating school for an hour long workshop during the week, and then see everyone at the culmination concert at 2pm on the Friday.
In the workshop, the Lieder’s team of three professional musicians and educators (two singers and a pianist) sing songs in several languages and workshop the themes of the poetry along with discussing the ins and outs of attending a concert of classical song. There are plenty of opportunities for the children (and teachers) to sing in the workshop session and everyone works together at the end to compose a special verse to a song by Schubert. The concert on Friday is an exciting hour of Art Song in several languages, and a finale in which each class stands to sing their very own verse!
The project is for one group of year 3, 4, 5 or 6 children.
The Cool Lieder Project works with KS3 children and takes place over three weeks with a culmination concert on the last Friday of the project.
The project involves three professional animateurs; a singer, pianist and another artist (often a storyteller, poet or composer), making three visits into school. They will deliver three one-hour workshops to introduce students to the sound of the projected singing voice; encourage them to see classical music as an enjoyable and relevant art form; and offer some quality vocal training and cross-curricular links. Working together on songs by composers from Schubert to Britten, the sessions focus on confident, expressive and healthy singing. Everybody is then invited down to a concert of songs performed by the participants and all woven together by the animateurs who take the student’s reactions to the music as their inspiration.
The project is for one class of Year 7, 8 or 9 children, or a group of around 30 pupils from these years specially selected for their love of singing and performance.
Leeds Lieder run their projects twice per year in both the Spring and Autumn terms, fundraising tirelessly so that their projects are completely free to schools. Leeds Lieder are funded by the Arts Council England, LMEP, Sir George Martin Trust and the Jean Meikle Music Trust and supported by Northern Ballet and Leeds Town Hall.
A brand new video showcasing Leeds Lieder’s work is available to view on their website: www.leedslieder.org.uk/learning. For more information about Leeds Lieder projects or if you would like to get involved, please contact Phil Wilcox.
