A key part of Perth Chamber Music’s activities is to encourage and support access to professional music for young people. In addition to providing free access to all our concerts, Perth Chamber Music organises a programme of music workshops that takes professional musicians into schools and community venues.

Since their introduction in 2012, the events have reached over 4,000 children and young people across the region from Aberfeldy to Kinross and Blairgowrie to Crieff.

The reviews below describe activities in the past year. Our workshops have been held in primary, secondary and special needs schools, village halls and a care home. Formats have ranged from masterclasses and ensemble coaching to mini-concerts, composition sessions and musical games.

For more information about the our music workshops and working with schools please email Perth Chamber Music at info@perthchambermusic.org.uk.

Workshop Formats

The pandemic, whilst disruptive, also had a surprisingly positive impact on our workshops and we have discovered exciting new online ways to reach schools, in partnership with two remarkable ensembles, A4 Brass Quartet and Sequoia Violin and Cello Duo:

• by commissioning a film of A4’s children’s concert, now available to all schools in the region
• by setting up online Question and Answer sessions with two members of the Quartet, immediately after a class has watched the film
• by using Microsoft Teams for an extensive series of workshops with a green theme by Sequoia Duo

Using this new approach, in the 2021/22 school year two virtual tours to Central Perth and down the length of the River Tay reached 25 primary schools and an estimated 800 children.

2023 Music Workshops

The links below describe the two series of music workshops by Sequoia Duo in March 2023 in primary schools in West Perthshire and by McOpera at primary schools in villages close to Perth.

o River Earn Project Report
o McOpera Winds Storytelling Project 2023

They show the creativity of the musicians and the schools and the enthusiastic engagement of the children. It confirms the importance of such events to give children the chance to listen to live music, particularly at a time of great pressure on education resources.

Chamber Music Scotland and Perth Chamber Music would welcome any information about similar initiatives by other music societies, professional ensembles or schools.

Thank you to our Supporters

PCM is indebted to the Thomson Charitable Trust, Chamber Music Scotland, the Guildry Incorporation of Perth, RWE Lochelbank Community Fund, Carbon Financial Partners and RJ Lang Trust for their generous support of these initiatives.