Family-Friendly Performance Returns to Derby

East Midlands’ regional orchestra Sinfonia Viva has announced a second performance date in the Cathedral Quarter as part of Derby Book Festival in June.

‘Flutter & Fly’ is a family concert that will be held in the Orchestra’s innovative inflatable mobile venue in the Market Place on Friday June 10 at 11.30am. ‘Flutter & Fly’ – commissioned by Viva especially for children aged under six and their families- is presented by composter and guitarist Jack Ross, accompanied by four Viva musicians. The story, music and songs track the adventures of Rowan’s paper aeroplane who meets a host of friends in the sky from a bee to a rocket.  
The story is further brought to life by the illustrations of visual artist Eleanor Meredith whose stunning live drawings and animation are projected on screens around the stage.

The young audience members and their families will be invited to relax on chairs and beanbags during the concert and there will be the opportunity to see the instruments up close during and after the performace. The previous evening (Thursday June 9), Sinfonia Viva will be joined by 1623 Theatre Company Artistic Director Ben Spiller for a unique concert, ‘Flights of Fantasy’, celebrating the art of storytelling through words and music.

Ben Spiller will narrate passages from the Shakespeare classic ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as part of the concert featuring extracts alongside Mendelssohn’s score of the same name. The concert will also feature extracts from Weber’s ‘Der Freischütz’ - based on the German folk tale of the same name which is considered a monumental moment in German storytelling and music.

The concert is also part of Derby Book Festival and the regional Grand Tour 2016 – a series of cultural exhibitions and events across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire inspired by the 19th century European cultural travellers. The venue for both concerts is Viva’s mobile stage and auditorium which caters for a 250-strong audience and has been called ‘The Cabinet of Curiosity’ – inspired by 17th century patrons who brought together their personal collection of ‘items of wonder’ which led to the creation of museums across the world.

Sinfonia Viva Chief Executive Peter Helps explained: “’Flutter & Fly’ was first performed at Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre in 2014 as part of the Get Creative Family Arts Festival. “This was a sell-out performance and we had incredible feedback from the audience. I am sure that many families who have joined us previously will want to come back to experience the joy and energy of this fantastic concert once again and that we will be joined by many others who missed it the first time. “Our performance of ‘The Boat & The Blue’ as part of last year’s Family Arts Festival won an award for the best family event – further cementing the Orchestra’s reputation for high quality music that reaches out to a wide audience of all ages.”
Both ‘Flutter & Fly’ and ‘Flights of Fantasy’ share the common theme of story- telling through music. “At both concerts, our aim is to transport the audience into the magical world of these stories – created in words, music and – for the family concert – with the added element of live drawing.”

Tickets for ‘Flutter & Fly’ cost £5 which includes a book and CD of the story and music for every child in the audience.  Tickets for ‘Flights of Fantasy’ on Thursday June 9 cost £10, £8 Concessions, or £6 for anyone under 26.  

Both are available from Derby LIVE – Tel: 01332 255800, www.derbylive.co.uk or the Assembly Rooms Box Office.

Sinfonia Viva is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.  Viva’s involvement in Derby Book Festival is further supported by English Wine Project, Derbyshire Music Education Hub and Grand Tour 2016.

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