“Don’t,” says BBC’s Katherine Freeman. She speaks to Veronica Stivala about the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra’s Fanfare Family Concert next week.

Many children have never seen an orchestra before and they are amazed at the sound and also at the sight of seeing so many musicians all playing different instruments – of all shapes and sizes – together at once, says Katherine Freeman when speaking about the children who attend the children’s concerts she produces.

“Often they will just sit quietly as they are so excited by and in awe of everything around them,” she says. But, they are children after all and sometimes the musicians love to encourage them to join in and make a noise.

The children might sing along together, or clap in time, or they could even be invited up to join in. All these things can add to their enjoyment and really help them to engage with what is going on on the stage.

Next week will see one of these concerts come to Malta. Fanfare! will be presented by CBeebies presenter Pete Hillier.

It will see artistic director Rosetta Debattista collaborate with BBC’s Freeman and UK conductor Alice Farnham present a show that aims to delight and excite children of all ages.

Freeman has been involved in music ever since she was a child and played violin and piano. She went on to study music at York University, followed by working as an actor and musician for several years and even busking around Europe with her trusty violin.

Freeman has played in many orchestras over the years and has worked as a teacher, composer and producer. She composes specifically for children and has worked with several children orchestras.

She is also regularly involved in projects for children and works with a school for musicians from six to 18. She also works with different groups of people, from all walks of life, on community music and drama projects.

So how do her concerts differ from ‘normal’ concerts?

“I think with a children’s concert you have to make it fun,” she says.

“Classical music is such an amazing thing. It’s great to point out to the children some of the interesting features of the music and explore some things that wouldn’t be normally considered in an adult’s concert. You want to capture a child’s imagination and make them sit on the edge of their seats.”

Introducing children to music through hearing and seeing a brilliant orchestra playing amazing pieces of classical music will make them excited about it

While it may sound complicated to organise an event like this, with all the musicians, the presenter and conductor, Freeman says it is not really that bad “as everyone has their own job to do”.

Together with Debattista, they chose the pieces, then the conductor – who stands in front of the orchestra and tells them what to do – rehearses these with the musicians, so that they sound fantastic.

Then, they practise with the presenter who will say something to introduce each piece and often point out things to listen out for.  Then they put this all together to make a wonderful concert.

Speaking about what she thinks excites and attracts children, Freeman says children love to see and hear the different instruments and find out about how they are played, such as the woodwind instruments, which are blown, the string instruments which are played with a bow.

“It is great if they are able to get close up to these and even have a go at playing them themselves,” she says, noting how everyone reacts differently to music.

Some, for example, might love the gentle sound of woodwind instruments, such as the flutes, while others might prefer the loud, bold sound of a brass instrument, such as the trumpet.

Exposing children to music at an early age is really important, according to Freeman. Even if it’s just listening to as many different types of music as you can.

“Music is all around us – on the radio, on television, at the cinema, in shops.  It is there to be enjoyed. A good start to taking part in something musical is to sing in a choir at school.”

Introducing children to music through hearing and seeing a brilliant orchestra playing these amazing pieces of classical music will make them excited about it, she says.

Also it is very thrilling to be at a live performance in a big concert hall (the Mediterranean Conference Centre).  Hopefully, she says, the concert will also encourage the children to think about learning to play an instrument themselves.

To conclude, I ask Freeman whether she has a favourite piece of music. To this, she responds: In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg.

“I love the way that it starts off very quiet and steadily and gradually gets louder and faster – until it is really wild. I also love the wonderful image it creates, of being chased out of a cave by trolls,” she says. And, what fun, it will be one of the pieces being performed in this concert.

Fanfare! takes place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, next Sunday at 5 pm.

www.maltaorchestra.com