The majority of our work takes place with schools from across Greater Manchester. Whether we’re running workshops on your site or welcoming you to the Hall, we believe in giving all children the opportunity to experience music and creativity from an early age.

Schools can book workshops and tours of the Hall at any time through the year. A day or half day visit can help students build confidence and communication skills, discover new talents in singing, music or performance poetry, and learn a little about how a major concert venue operates. Speak to us in advance and we will aim to tailor tours and workshops to your learning.

Every season we plan several longer term projects for schools who are interested in becoming more deeply involved in music development. Professional leaders and musicians will help children explore themes connected to the Hall’s programme, with projects often culminating in a public performance of students’ own work in our main auditorium. We'll be announcing our plans for 2011/12 before the new school term in September.

"Absolutely fantastic...great fun and loads of learning going on.  An inspiration."  Teacher, St Matthew's RC High School

Songbook of the Earth saw over 400 primary school children creating new music and lyrics for songs about the local and global environment, in collaboration with Manchester Camerata. Songbooks from the project have now been shared with participating schools so that they can keep using the songs as a music learning resource; a limited number are on sale for other schools, parents and music educators. Contact us if you are interested in purchasing a Songbook for just £10.

Past and future projects

Music and Mythology
Four primary schools will be involved in our Music and Mythology project in spring 2012.  Key Stage 2 children will attend a choral performance of King Arthur by the New London Consort, and work with a poet and composer to tell their own favourite myths or legends in song on Wednesday 25 April.

Cloud Forms
GCSE music students from three schools will work with a professional facilitator during 2012 to create new compositions inspired by Valette's paintings of Manchester and Debussy's music, linked to our major celebration of Debussy 150th anniversary.  Students will work at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Art Gallery and in school to create compositions which will contribute to GCSE or A-level music coursework, and can gain additional accreditation through Silver Arts Award.  They will be invited to perform their work in the foyer of The Bridgewater Hall and attend a concert including Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, Debussy's Prelude à l'après-midi d'un faun, and the world premiere of Kanno's Sky Maze.  The Cloud Forms culmination will take place in the foyer on Friday 25 May, 1.30pm-3.00pm.

Bridging Hands
In May 2011, we established a partnership with Music and the Deaf as part of a wider initiative to increase access to the Hall for hearing impaired audiences through new information routes and signed performances. The project culminated in a performance by over 150 deaf and hearing children, presenting new music through song and British Sign Language in the main auditorium.

The Really Whacky Walrus Who Went To The Circus...
In March 2011, children from four primary schools arrived at the Hall armed with guitars and their own new composition, The Whacky Walrus Suite. The groups had been learning the piece through Wider Opportunities whole-class guitar teaching, supported by tutors from Bolton Music Service. They performed for an audience of family and friends, combining the new music with classics such as House of the Rising Sun.

Find out more about our future plans and register interest here.