Hello!
Welcome to the June edition of our Bridgewater For All Playback, where we look back at the highlights of the Learning and Participation programme at The Bridgewater Hall for this month. From mindfulness meditations to performances from the biggest stars in the business. June has been a month dedicated to celebrating the diversity and power of music. We hope you enjoy reading what we’ve been up to this month.
The L&P Department
O2 Silver Clef Awards 2023 with Nordoff and Robbins – 30 June
We were over the moon to be invited to the O2 Silver Clef Awards 2023 in London to celebrate icons in the industry whilst raising funds for the amazing music therapy charity, Nordoff and Robbins (N&R). ASM Global, the company that manages the Hall, has recently partnered with N&R, and this was a great opportunity to gain real insight into the hugely important work of their music therapists. Hosted by Edith Bowman, the event was studded with some huge names such as; Brian May, Stormzy, Gregory Porter, Neneh Cherry, and Adam Lambert just to name a few. Through auctions and generous donations, a whopping £540,000 was raised. We also got to hear first-hand from Jo, what the work of N&R does for her son, Harvey, who has been having music therapy sessions for 12 years. She summed up the work perfectly; ‘it’s just somewhere he can be himself’.
Find out more about the amazing work Nordoff and Robbins do here.
MCR: Classical – 24 and 25 June
June marked the inaugural MCR: Classical, a collaboration between the Hall, BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Manchester Collection, RNCM and many more. The weekend saw a range of live music performances all around the Hall, with sixteen concerts performed all together! On the Saturday we opened our first Music Makers Instrument Petting Zoo, where children and adults alike had the opportunity to try out a range of instruments from the woodwind, percussion, strings, and brass families. From trumpets to cellos to clarinets and flutes, our Music Maker leaders taught everyone how to play a note on each. It was a great intro into the range of instruments and types of music out there, whilst also being an opportunity to just have a bit of fun! On Sunday, our Be Hear Now concert and workshop featured Beth Bishop and Live Music Now’s, Leila and Adam from Festivo Winds. We heard some firm favourites from Disney’s Moana, followed by a conducting workshop, and finally a jam session. Throughout the weekend, there were art activities where families could learn about the history of the Halle, and some of its key players.
Find out more about Music Makers here
Find out more about Be Hear Now here
Live at Lunchtime
‘Sit back, close your eyes and unwind’. These were the words of Kaviraj Singh before he blew us away with his performance on his hundred stringed Santoor. Alongside this, Tabla master, Kousic Sen’s, playing was equally as amazing. It was an enlightening performance, as both explained the introspective nature of the Raag that they performed for us, making this a truly one-of-a-kind concert. A huge thank you to everyone who came, and to Milap for helping create such a special performance.
Find out more about Live at Lunchtime here
Find out more about Milap here
Music Makers – 12 June
The lovely Nancy led our Music Makers session this month, which was based on the music from Saint-Saëns’, Carnival of the Animals. Whilst Nancy played both harp and piano, families stomped around like an elephant, whilst a trombone tooted his trunk. We then swam with the fishes as bubbles filled the room and flew with the birds as a parachute drifted onto us below. This session featured great sensory play and even a chance for the little ones to have a go on the Steinway piano!
BWH Singers Song Writing Workshops – 14 and 21 June
In June our Singers got the chance to take part in a song writing workshop with the wonderful Alice Phelps. The sessions started with warm up exercises, followed by call and response games. Then the Singers went on to brainstorm themes for their song. These included peace, love, and togetherness – everything that music and singing means to them! The group settled on the idea of the seasons, and how these relate to the different stages of our lives – all quite different, but beautiful in their own way. Alice showed the Singers how to experiment with different harmonies and sounds – gospel and soulful were the winners! We can’t wait to hear the finished piece next term!
Find out more about The Bridgewater Hall Singers here
Music Action International, Harmonise 2023 Concert – 19 June
In June, we welcomed over 1300 school children to the Hall for Music Action International’s, Harmonise 2023. This performance featured original songs by students from The Friar Primary School, St Mary’s CofE Primary School, and St Joseph The Worker RC Primary School. This concert was the culmination of creative workshops led by musicians from MAI who have experienced war, torture, and persecution in their home countries. Harmonise focuses on celebrating different cultures, whilst highlighting the importance of Refugee Week which takes place from 19th – 25th June.
Find out more about Music Action International here