Tell us why children need to hear the sound of music and win tickets to a two-day festival at Glastonbury

[RowanMumsnet]

Following on from our webchat with Charles Hazlewood earlier this year, we?re teaming up with his 'Orchestra in a Field' event to offer Mumsnetters the chance to win tickets to a weekend-long camp-out at Worthy Farm.

Even assuming that you would want to take the whole family along to a classical music event, it simply isn?t affordable for most people. Orchestra in a Field, an outdoor music festival in Somerset that Charlie has put together, is determined to open up classical music to new audiences. Charlie has decided that making his festival affordable and family-friendly is the key.

The two-day festival (30 June ? 1 July), a sort of 'Glastonbury meets Glyndebourne' experience, offers free entry to under-13s, big concessions to students and teens, and free camping, which means families with children under 13 can make a weekend of it for as little as £110 (the cost of two adult weekend tickets). (As an added bonus, if enough MNers sign up you could treat it as a meet-up )

The ticket price includes world-class concert performances of Carmen, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, along with a host of other music-related entertainments, workshops and activities, including: a kids' area, helter skelter, flamenco dancing and drumming workshops, Puppet Opera, ukulele lessons, and a Rap Slam. Other highlights include a Community Choir Sing-Off, a debut performance by The British Paraorchestra, and Mike Oldfield's iconic Tubular Bells in a rare live supergroup performance featuring Goldfrapp and Portishead musicians.

Ten lucky MNers can win a pair of AAA tickets each to Orchestra in a Field. To be in with a chance, please post on this thread to let us know your opinions about early musical education for children. At what age do you think a child should learn a musical instrument? How important is it to expose children to Mozart? Has your child benefited from singing in a choir? What are your experiences of attending classical concerts with kids?

Thanks,
MNHQ

Hello again

Thanks for those who've got in contact with their details; I will pass these on to Orchestra in a Field today, and reply to those who've asked me questions!

For those who missed out, Orchestra in a Field have very kindly set up a special Mumsnet code for a discount of just over 20% on tickets.

Do have a look at their webpage if you'd like more info.

Happy camping,
MNHQ

Has anyone heard anything? I have had nothing!

Me neither lisad123 :(

Need to know what the score is before I book time off work etc..

Bump

Anything lisad123? I have to let work know by Monday (I work weekends).

Hi there - sorry about this; let me find out what's going on and I'll try to come back to you tomorrow.

Thanks Rowan - I was starting to wonder too

I haven't heard anything either.

CONGRATULATIONS to:

CoffeAhorlicksAnonymous
Shakey1500
KatieWalters
WhoMovedMyChocolate
LisaD123
CMOTDibbler
EarthyMama
3rdnparty

You have each won a pair of AAA tickets (worth £100 each), which entitle you to:

• Use of our covered, front-of-stage VIP viewing area
• All day access to the covered backstage At The Chapel Bar
• Opportunities to meet key performers and musicians

Please send us your postal address so that we can send you your tickets. (we will also contact you via email)

Thank you so much to everyone who entered, it is great to see so many people are enthusiastic about bringing music to children.

Please keep an eye on our facebook page www.facebook.com/orchestrainafield for regular news on line-up additions.

We hope to see lots of you at the festival!

Orchestra in a Field team x

If anyone doesn't want their tickets, my friends want to go with us

Have sent a PM to orchestra in a field team. If they don't hurry up I'm going to have to put a piano in the back garden because the DC are insisting they need to see much on grass now

Ours arrived this week

Have people had their tickets yet?

So who's going?

Did anyone else go to this? We had an amazing weekend, thank you so much for the tickets.

Thank you very much for the tickets.

When we arrived no one knew anything about our tickets and were really unhelpful, we gave up in the end and vegged in the crowd.

The park and ride shuttle bus was awful, nearly stranding 120 people, kids and disabled included, at 11pm and refused to extend for the sunday over run so we didn't get to see the finale :(

The music was amazing, absolutely amazing, we met a paraorchestra players mum and almost met Mr Hazelwood.

Just gutted about the problems :(

I agree the shuttle bus was terrible and poorly timed. We had people comment about posh tickets but then no one could tell us what was different, certainly wasn't access all areas.
We too had two SN kids with us but as the crowds increased in talk tent, we couldn't get out and they wouldn't let us out the nearest point because someone famous was meant to appear (they were not there at that point nor did they arrive at all in the tent).

The girls really liked the flying seagulls.

:( they didn't let you out, I saw the tent full when a big famous person was due but couldn't get in, there were plenty of exits though.

It was a fantastic event but I should have taken a car.

We were given access all areas wrist bands??? but tbh I didn't want to go everywhere, I just wanted to enjoy the music and was happy to stay on the public side.

Now wondering if I saw you there

Did you camp at worthy farm?

Yes, massive green tent right in the middle of field 2 little girls, one with mass of curls like a scarecrow

We were the giant ruffians in the littlest green tent on the field tent dimensions are not my thing and I'm never allowed to buy one again :o
If I've got you right, we were just across from you.

Music is incredibly important in our family. On my husband's side we have some very talented musicians, opera singers, jazz players and composers.

When pregnant I would sing lullabies to my baby, and for some reason, the only music I could stand to listen to was classical stuff, we had the Flower Duet over and over and over.

Once born we continued to play music all the time and sing to her. As soon as she could pick things up a friend gave her a box of percussion toys that she loved to play with. Last Christmas (just before she was 2) she had a keyboard and mini drum kit, both of which she loves. She didn't even need to be told how to use the drum kit, she just sat down and started bashing away as if she'd been born to it.

We've taken her to one classical concert which she really loved. She only managed the first part, due to tiredness, and one of the sections featured children from a special needs school playing percussion. DD was fascinated by this and was dancing in the aisles. If there were more matinee performances we'd definitely take her to more concerts.

Her school is very big on music and all the children play instruments and sing in the choir. Because it's such an intrinsic part of the system at her school, the children start learning as soon as they show an interest in a particular instrument.

We also listen to a wide range of music, everything from metal to rap to classical, so that she grows up appreciating that music comes in different forms.

I don't know what her singing voice will be like, she is a little off key at the moment, her rhythm is amazing for her age - she can beat out a 4-time with her sticks, so maybe she'll become a percussionist or drummer.

We're going to buy her a slightly better drum kit next year, the keyboard is good for a few more years.

To sum up, I feel exposure to music is incredibly important for children because it opens up so many avenues for them to explore. It's not just about music, it's about socialisation, physics, history, etc.