Musica Viva In Schools has three new touring ensembles for 2019

Musica Viva Australia has premiered three new ensembles to bring music to Australian classrooms in 2019.

Adventures in Antarctica stars Australia’s leading harpist, Alice Giles, and takes students on a musical journey retracing her steps through the frozen beauty and wonder of the world’s southernmost continent.

Eastwinds’ four members encourage students to share and express their personal experiences by making music up on the spot.

Timmy and The Breakfast Band explore how music influences our actions, thoughts and emotions in an energetic pairing of live music and circus.

Students in Sydney, Central Coast NSW and Melbourne witnessed the debut performances of these ensembles in May. Each group will now embark on tours throughout Australia, including Adelaide, Geraldton and the Coral Coast, Perth and South Western WA and additional performances in Sydney.

They join 12 other groups touring nationally for Musica Viva In Schools, which reached over 290,000 students and employed more than 90 local musicians and presenters in 2018.

“Each program sparks the potential of students through working with some of the most creative Australians,” says Musica Viva’s Artistic Director of Education, Michael Sollis, “For example, Mark Cain from Eastwinds gives every teacher and student the tools to connect through making music on the spot in a whole school experience.

“In Adventures in Antarctica, harpist Alice Giles transports students to her own Antarctic journey, amazingly finding a way for all 300 children at the concert to play the harp. Timmy and the Breakfast Band is a genuinely hilarious performance where students consider how music affects their everyday thoughts.”

Each 50-minute performance is accompanied by an extensive digital resources pack that assists teachers in preparing students with up to 10 weeks of curriculum aligned lessons and cross-curriculum activities. Designed for both generalist primary and specialist music educators, each pack also includes online accredited professional development for the teachers.

Visit musicaviva.com.au/education or call 1300 663 608.