Kids conduct the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra

The resident conductor of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Mro Michael Laus is handing down his baton to school children who are only too eager to conduct the orchestra as they play Strauss’ Radezky March.

The activity is part of musical outreach programmes organised over these weeks by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in conjunction with St. James Cavalier. The programmes caters for school children of different ages, and throughout they are exposed to different instruments, sounds and classical pieces and finally even some hands-on activities.

Sara Spiteri, programme coordinator, said that the aim of these sessions was to introduce kids to the musical instruments which make up an orchestra, in a fun manner.

“We want them to realise that classical music is not something boring. Hopefully through this we’re nurturing a love of classical music at a young age, and in years to come we’ll have more younger audiences at classical concerts,” she said.

All the school children who have taken part so far, were full of enthusiasm throughout the sessions – keeping tempo and rhythm and barely able to sit still in their seats when Mro Laus asks for volunteers to play the percussion instruments or to become conductors for a few minutes.