‘Peter and the Wolf’ Family Performances Launches Sinfonia Viva’s Derby Season

Derby-based Sinfonia Viva, the East Midlands’ only professional orchestra, will officially launch the 2024/25 Derby Season with its first concert specifically programmed for children aged six to 11 and their families.

The afternoon family show on Saturday October 5 is being presented in collaboration with Derby Cathedral and will feature Prokofiev’s much-loved and iconic ‘Peter and the Wolf’ as well as a selection of short classical pieces.

This magical symphonic tale is the perfect introduction to orchestral music, where every instrument brings a character to life—the bassoon as the stern grandfather, the playful oboe quacking as the duck, the mellow clarinet as the cat, and the lively flute as the bird.

The concert will be narrated by Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason whose family of talented musicians are patrons of the orchestra and conducted by nationally-renowned Helen Harrison.  The performance will also be interpreted by BSL specialist Sarah Gatford.

Children will be invited to join Abbie Canning for ‘Peter and the Wolf’ themed craft activities and a scavenger hunt around the Cathedral before the concert and to meet the musicians afterwards with all activities included in the ticket price.

The concert is part of a Sinfonia Viva’s ongoing partnership with Derby Cathedral. The Dean of Derby, The Very Revd Dr Peter Robinson explained that this was the perfect venue for the family concert.

“We are very proud of our long association with Sinfonia Viva which is our regional orchestra based here in Derby and look forward to welcoming families for this wonderful concert.

“Our amazing acoustics enable the music created by the talented musicians to fully immerse the audience and I know this will be a very special way of introducing more young people to the magic of music and story telling.”

Sinfonia Viva chief executive Lucy Galliard added: “It is very appropriate that we launch our new and biggest ever Derby Season at the Cathedral with an interactive and inclusive family concert.

“We are very proud of our Derby roots and have won national acclaim for how we engage with wider audiences so that everyone can enjoy high quality classical music in their local communities.

“We are particularly pleased that Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is joining us for this performance. She and her family of hugely talented musicians are Sinfonia Viva’s Patrons. The family are not only ambassadors for our work, but fantastic advocates for the importance of access to music for everyone, but especially for children.”

Tickets for ‘Peter and the Wolf’ are £10 central nave/£7.50 side aisles. The doors open at 1pm for pre-show activities and the concert, starting at 2.30pm, lasts for one hour with no interval.

For more information visit https://www.sinfoniaviva.co.uk/event/peter-and-the-wolf-family-concert-in-derby/