Workshops for Children -Summer Fun at City Halls and Old Fruitmarket

Photo: Dave Boyd. This summer, Glasgow's City Halls and Old Fruitmarket have a packed programme of fun events to keep kids of all ages busy during the holidays - 2009.

photo by Dylan Drummond

Programme

Since reopening in 2006 with newly installed state-of-the-art education facilities, the City Halls and Old Fruitmarket have become a hub of creative learning activity, and this summer, the venues will host workshops in everything from DJ Skills to Musical Theatre. The biggest event in the summer programme is a Family Percussion Picnic in the Old Fruitmarket on 26th July, where all the family can join renowned composer Dave Boyd for some spontaneous music making, merriment and munching. An energetic, innovative musician and performer, Dave has composed and performed scores for theatre, TV and film, and has worked with the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dublin's Abbey Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland. The picnic is suitable for all ages and abilities - no musical experience is necessary and instruments will be provided (although families should bring along their own picnic lunch).

There is a diverse range of workshops and classes for all ages on offer; Make Your Own Hit Track will give budding pop stars the chance to record their own CD using the latest computer software, and in the DJ Skills Workshop, City Halls' resident tutors will cover the basics of DJing, mixing and beat matching with vinyl and CDs.

Mini Music Makers taster workshops will be delivered by the National Youth Choir of Scotland, where babies, toddlers and pre-school children and their parents/carers can join Claire McCue for a great repertoire of musical games, songs and activities. Kids aged 3 - 6 can enjoy stories, songs, games and percussion in Musical Adventurers, and explore rhythm and language in Let's Sing. The Rhythm and Dance workshop is a fun music and movement class for ages 5 - 12 and the Music and Light Beams class for ages 4 -12 involves musical games with the interactive sound and light beam system, Optimusic.

The year-round Celtic Connections education programme will deliver whistle workshops at City Halls, and there's a special two-day Musical Theatre Workshop for those who love to sing and dance and want to improve their vocal techniques and polish their dance moves.

Rhythm and Dance Workshops

Monday 29th June and Monday 6th July
11am–12:30pm (5–8 years)
1:30pm–3pm (9–12 years)
City Halls, Studios 1 and 2
£5

Come along for a fun music and movement class with tutors Iain and Claire. Get ready to make lots of noise with percussion instruments and let your feet feel the beat as we create new rhythms together.

Music and Light Beams

Tuesday 30th June and Tuesday 7th July
10am–11am (4–7 years)
11:30am–12:30pm (8–12 years)
City Halls, Studio 2
£4

Trigger the colourful beams of light in our amazing, interactive sound and light beam system Optimusic. Play musical games and even write your own music!

Musical Adventurers

Thursday 2nd, 9th & 16th July
10am–11am (3–6 years)
11:30am–12:30pm (3–6 years)
City Halls, Studio 2
£4

Our music tutor invites you to join her on a magical musical journey using stories, songs, games and percussion.

Make Your Own Hit Track

Friday 3rd and 10th July
11am–12:15pm (11+ years)
City Halls, ICT Suite
£5

Come along and use the latest computer software to create your own hit track! You will be given a CD of your musical creation to take home with you at the end of the workshop.

Let's Sing

Monday 13th July
10am–11am (3–6 years)
11:30am–12:30pm (3–6 years)
Both workshops on this date are the same
City Halls, Studio 2
£4

Join us for a creative look at a child’s world with dancing teddies, buzzy bee, puppet friends and animals. Clapping, tapping, jumping and bouncing as we keep the beat, exploring rhythm and language.

Mini Music Makers Taster Workshops

Tuesday 14th and 28th July
10am–10:35am (12–24 months)
11am–11:40am (2–3 years)
12noon–12:40pm (3–4 years)
1:15pm–1:50pm (0–12 months)
City Halls, Studio 2
£3 Info/Booking: 0141 287 2943

Open up the world of music for you and your child! Come along and try one of our Mini Music Maker workshops for babies, toddlers and pre-school aged children and their parents/ carers, delivered by the National Youth Choir of Scotland.

Musical Magic – Musical Theatre Workshop

Thursday 16th and Friday 17th July
10am–3:30pm (7–12 years)
City Halls, Studio 1
£24

If you love to sing and dance then this two day event is for you! You will improve your vocal techniques and polish your dance moves whilst having lots of musical fun. The second day will end with an informal performance for friends and family. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring along a packed lunch on both days

Come and Try Celtic Connections – Whistle Workshops

Monday 20th and 27th July
10am–11:30pm (8–12 years)
City Halls, Studio 1
£5

This workshop will take you from the basics of learning the whistle to performing some well-known tunes.

DJ Skills Workshop

Wednesday 22nd July
11am–12:15pm (7–11 years)
12:30pm–1:45pm (12+ years)
City Halls, Studio 2
£5

Do you know your cross faders from your cue mix and your cans from your bins? Do you want to learn more? Then this is the workshop for you! Our resident tutors will take you through the basics of DJ-ing, mixing and beat matching with vinyl and CDs and you’ll get the chance to put together your own tracks using the latest computer software.

Family Percussion Picnic

Sunday 26th July

12noon–1:30pm
Old Fruitmarket
£4 per family – Up to 4 people per ticket, one of whom must be an adult.

Come along to our family percussion picnic and join composer and workshop leader Dave Boyd for 90 minutes of spontaneous music making, merriment and munching in the Old Fruitmarket. Dave has facilitated rhythm events at festivals throughout the UK and his characteristic energy and humor is sure to get you grooving in no time! No musical experience is necessary and we will provide the instruments but if you have a drum or percussion instrument feel free to bring it along! The Percussion Picnic is suitable for all ages and abilities. Please bring along your own picnic lunch!