Be Curious 2018 – Say Hello to the Piano

On Saturday 17 March, the Leeds International Piano Competition team participated in the University of Leeds ‘Be Curious event’. This annual celebration is held for families to come in and learn more about the work and research being done at the University and their partners through free, interactive and fun activities.
Led by our Learning & Engagement Director, Jenny Rogers, and musician Rosa Lynch-Northover, the team was stationed in the School of Music’s Clothworkers Centenary Hall foyer, where visitors experienced an interactive piano talk to introduce families to the inner workings of a piano. They then had the chance to make their very own kalimba, or thumb piano, to take home – exploring the dynamics of sound, pitch and volume as they created them. Over 30 kalimbas were made on the day and taken home to continue children’s music making.
With a strong turnout and a show of great enthusiasm from the visitors, the event was a great success! We look forward to using what we learned at this event to make the most out of future family engagement activities and projects.
Promoting engagement with the piano from new audiences of all ages is a key part of the Competition’s work. Following the ‘Be Curious’ event, we will next see over 1,000 local schoolchildren descend on Leeds Town Hall for our first Piano Fantasia live show!
 
Click here to learn more about the Piano Fantasia event and to find out more about our Learning & Engagement programme.