Beat the lockdown blues with LMP’s ‘Classical for Kids’ page.

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One of the successes of LMP’s digital lockdown output was the musical content created for children. As the latest lockdown continues, LMP have made it easier for parents, grandparents and teachers to entertain the youngest music lovers by collating all suitable content on one page on the LMP website, ‘Classical for Kids’. All your favourites are here, including Peter & the Wolf which has had more than 75,000 views so far, and we’ve had some rave reviews from parents and teachers around the world.

 

‘My kids have just watched this [Peter & The Wolf] and absolutely loved it, thank you so much’ Bethany on Facebook

‘I am a music teacher in Perth Western Australia. I am showing my children this fabulous production [Peter & The Wolf]. It is so funny and engaging.’ Christina on Facebook

‘I love this [Carnival of the Animals]. When I was working with keyworker children at school during lockdown this was a lifesaver. Thank you LMP’ Alice on Facebook

 

And we’ve just received this knockout letter of appreciation for Peter & the Wolf from Elementary Classroom teacher Elizabeth, from Pennsylvania, USA.

‘I have been teaching elementary music in the US for over 20 years. I have used different recordings and/or videos of Peter and the Wolf with my students, and yours is by far my favorite. I stumbled across it online a few weeks ago, and today was finally the day I got to start playing it for my classes. I love everything about it, and so did my kids!

As both an actor and musician myself, I am familiar with the challenges of working collaboratively during this time. Your production actually embraces the isolation, and ironically is more successful because of it, at least in my view as an educator. My young students could really see the instruments being played and benefitted from seeing them in both the natural and isolated settings; they enjoyed the artwork and the creative video editing along with the live action of real children (and pets!) acting out the parts. I just find the whole production to be inspired, and I think it’s very creation models for my students what is possible, even when we’re all in our own physical spaces. I just really can’t thank you enough for making this available online.    

 

There’s also films to inspire fun activities at home, perfect for keeping the little ones entertained. Whether it’s making your own French horn from a hosepipe, or creating a bottle orchestra, there are lots of ideas to inspire even the youngest musicians, and fun for grown-ups too!

LMP to perform in St Martin-in-the-Fields ‘Fresh Horizons’ concert series

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We are delighted to be part of ‘Fresh Horizons’, an exciting new weekly online concert series filmed in the iconic church of St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square. The series of fourteen performances runs from January to April 2021 and alongside the London Mozart Players the series will feature other internationally-acclaimed artists including Chineke!, Stile Antico, Peter Donohoe, The Gesualdo Six, and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

LMP performs in the first concert in the series, ‘Four World Seasons’ which goes live on 28 January at 7.30pm. It’s a lively programme featuring works by composers who took inspiration from Vivaldi’s famous ‘Four Seasons’ and made the theme their own. Astor Piazzolla takes us to Buenos Aires, while Roxanna Panufnik takes us on a mini world tour. It’s the perfect concert with which to start the new year.

Tickets for each concert are available for £10 (or buy a Season Pass) and films will be streamed from the St Martin’s website and available for 30 days.

For more information and to book tickets, visit the St Martin-in-the-fields website

LMP launches Classical Club

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LMP launches LMP Reach

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During the Covid-19 pandemic, live entertainment for our most vulnerable communities had to be put on hold. To help fill this gap, we are very excited to announce the launch of LMP Reach, a community initiative that sees the London Mozart Players take music, digitally, into these spaces. Members of the orchestra are filming a series of recitals specifically curated for those living in care homes or at home with carers, those living with dementia, or people in vulnerable groups who may not otherwise have access to community concerts and events.

Each LMP Reach recital will be performed by two LMP members (different players and instruments for each concert), and the 30-minute programmes will encompass music from Bach to Bernstein and everything in between! Wartime favourites, musical theatre standards and popular classical gems will be presented, and access will be offered to care homes, hubs, and centres across the borough of Croydon and further afield.

The concerts are free to access via a password-protected Vimeo link, with a new concert broadcast every two weeks, and we are asking care homes who use this service to entertain their residents (and concerts can be accessed as many times as required) to consider a donation of £10-20 per concert. This is the LMP’s way to give back to the community and build an on-going relationship with those most in need.

The first of these performances launched in July.  Information and to find out how to access this service can be found here.

Alexander Armstrong narrates Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, to bring ‘At Home with LMP’ lockdown series to a stylish close

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The London Mozart Players resume ensemble performance (socially distanced) – first in three-concert online series reaches over 1 million people

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Hit Replay: Emma Harding’s Top 5 Tracks

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Homespun Miniature No 2 premieres on BBC Radio 4

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Calling Home Heroes! The 2.6 Challenge

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Now more than ever, people need to feel connected to their community. By joining the nation in the London Marathon-inspired 2.6 Challenge, you can help the London Mozart Players continue inspiring, connecting to and resonating with our local communities in Croydon and around London, giving as many people as possible access to the joy and creativity of classical music.

Exactly how you take part is up to you – simply think of an activity based on the number 2.6 or 26, and encourage your friends and family to make a donation. Whether you’re running 2.6 miles around your garden, icing 26 cakes or hopping on one leg for 26 minutes, we need your support! You can complete your challenge any time from Sunday 26 April – the only rule is to make sure the activity follows the Government guidelines on social distancing and how to exercise safely during this time.

Once you’ve decided how you would like to take part, visit the LMP 2.6 Challenge Charity Page and click ‘Fundraise’ to create a fundraising page for friends and family to sponsor you, or click ‘Donate’ to donate to the LMP directly. We’d also love to receive videos of you and your team doing any challenges that you come up with.

For more ideas, check out some of the Players’ completing their challenges: