October Residential 2011

The first residential of the 2011/12 learning year was held in the sunny hills of Swanage and was run by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) as the start of their national ‘Anthem for a Child’ project.

Touring round the country with around 20 players, the OAE will 'pass the Olympic baton in sound', working with local partners in different locations to involve, coach, enthuse and inspire thousands of young people, from primary school age to students, in a unique approach to music education. The OAE players will also pass on their skills to trainee teachers and students who can then continue to develop the work locally.

The residential was called ‘Old Shoes in New Boxes’ and was a creative compositional project inspired by baroque music.  The students were taught baroque styles or themes or pieces of music and then given the freedom to transform them into whatever they wanted.  As it was hallowe’en weekend there were a lot of hallowe’en themed pieces which, mixed with Baroque created some weird and wonderful collaborations!