[BLOG] Young festival-goers

On the fringes of this wonderful Festival (and this is where I’d like to put in a word for a lesser known aspect), the organisers offer a wide range of activities to open up the musical universe to the youngest festival-goers, arousing their curiosity for  not just classical music.

Children aged 4 to 14 are given the chance to discover instruments, decorate cakes (especially to mark the Festival’s 25th anniversary), create designs and masks based on that timeless classic “Peter and the Wolf”, and much more besides!

Wow! The programme is so highly appealing that, needless to say, we almost ticked all the boxes on the registration form.

We kicked off our workshop marathon with an introduction to DJing. I admit I did cheat a little, as the workshop was intended for kids aged 10 and over (I’d advise you to stick to the recommended ages, by the way. They’re spot-on). We mainly went along in order to take a few photos to accompany this article, while waiting for the next workshop for my daughter’s age group (4+) to start.

At the Place Blanche, where the workshop was being held, Ben from the Gimmemusic School gave us a warm, enthusiastic welcome to the class.

She might be knee-high to a grasshopper, but my daughter still had great fun. Intent on making the most of things, I stayed with her to add to Ben’s explanations (as best I could) and ended up learning quite a bit myself.

In short, tempo, rhythm, echo, high, low and vibrations are some of the words she was able to playfully add to her vocabulary while the “bigger” kids had a great time creating a piece of electronic music amidst lots of laughter. Their catchy dance number “Penguin” kept running through our heads for the rest of the day...

Finally, having been able to attend other workshops in previous years, I can say it’s a real pleasure to take part. There’s always something new to learn and there’s very often a free snack thrown in for the children, so that’s one less thing for parents to think about in advance!

Take it from me – simply go along and open your ears. You won’t be disappointed! I promise!

 

Tips:

• Children are generally open-minded and always keen to learn. So even if a particular workshop doesn’t immediately grab you, your little ones are nevertheless bound to be enthusiastic


• Rehearsals for the evening concert at the Salle des Combins are frequently open to the public (check the VF daily newspaper each morning), allowing younger visitors to experience a homoeopathic dose of music, a taste of the evening concert that would otherwise be too late for them to attend.

• Unlimited Playground is free and the schedule is well thought-out with parents in mind. Most events start at 10am, so there’s no early-morning stress when everyone is on holiday! 

• Don’t forget to go along to the Storytellers events, which will be bringing “Peter and the Wolf” and “Cinderella” to life this year. These are free for kids under 16!


• The most delightful and unmissable concert takes place in the open air on the slopes of La Chaux on Friday, 3 August. Involving 70 musicians aged 8 to 15, this concert is ideal for children and their parents and/or grandparents. It’s the chance to enjoy a fun family day out amidst breathtaking scenery, including a fabulous cable-car ride, and – who knows? – it may make them even keener to learn to play an instrument themselves...


• The daily 30-minute micro-concerts on the Place Centrale. The children love having front-row seats, while their parents enjoy a drink in the Caveau. Happy hour is at 5.30pm!

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