Pupils from Danestone, Forehill and Middleton Park Primary Schools in the Bridge of Don area of Aberdeen have been working on an exciting music project run by Shannon Stevenson, a 4th Year Community Music student.
The children have been learning Mandarin thanks to the Confucius Institute Hanban tutors and this project hopes to further develop their understanding of Chinese language and culture through music.
P7 pupils have been invited to compose music based on a Chinese folktale, Fox and Tiger, which was the inspiration for Julia Donaldson’s famous children’s book, The Gruffalo.
In addition to collaborating with the Confucius Institute, Shannon has been working with Drake Music’s Figurenotes system of notation which allows the children to compose their own music regardless of experience and ability. Shannon’s application to the Year of Young People Creative Funding Commission has allowed her to provide a well-resourced programme for all involved.
The project is intended to expose the children to the arts in a fun and creative way. It is also an opportunity for them to find their own identities and give them mutual grounds on which to communicate with their peers for next year when they enter secondary school.
The children's work will be presented at an exhibition at University of Aberdeen towards the end of March.