The Canowindra Baroquefest in association with Musica Viva will run its School Program early this year. In fact Makukuhan,this exciting Gamelan Band of Indonesia will be entertaining 300 infants and primary students from schools in and around Canowindra at the Canowindra Services Club Hall on Thursday 24th May at 11am.
So what is a Gamelan band? Essentially a percussion band using the traditional percussion instruments of Indonesia. Musica Viva makes these bands available to all the local schools and the Canowindra Baroquefest further subsidises the cost to the schools and parents by paying for the transport of outlying schools to come to Canowindra to watch the performance.
This is a major cost to small schools, yet they are best able to benefit by the Canowindra Baroquefest organisation arranging a central performance with seating for 300. But it’s not just entertainment! The program reaches into the classroom through prepared resources made available to each school and classroom teacher. They are able to prepare the students so that they get the most out of the performance.
They are also able to follow up the learning process over a period of weeks after the concert. A great deal has been written in recent times by paediatricians and specialists in music about the value of music in the education of children, not just for the enjoyment of music itself but for the cross over value whereby learning music seems to sharpen a child’s learning ability in other subjects.
The educational value of the Baroquefest schools program is significant and the committee regards it as a most important part of its year’s activities. You too can be part of it all and support the musical education of our students by attending (and of course enjoying) the October Baroquefest concerts. An excellent program is planned for the weekend of 19th – 21st October 2018. Details out soon!