Children's University welcomes families to TSO screenings

We're collaborating with Children's University Tasmania to welcome more young people and their families to our concerts and livestream events.

Run by the Peter Underwood centre at the University of Tasmania, Children’s University (CU) works with schools and communities to facilitate inspiring and informal learning opportunities.

Our livestream events at the UTAS campus at Burnie are a perfect addition to the CU program, which includes learning activities outside of the classroom, university events and school holiday workshops in regional areas.

More than 1400 children across the state are currently taking part, keeping track of their outside school activities in their CU 'passport'.

Once they've recorded 30 hours of activities they can take part in a CU graduation ceremony, complete with cap and gown.

Eligible activities include visiting museums, libraries and national parks.

'These livestreamed TSO concerts are a great addition to the CU program of opportunities,' says Children's University manager Georgia Sutton.

‘The events offer an amazing opportunity to experience a full orchestra in a relaxed environment. You can go and sit in The Makers workshop in a comfortable child and family friendly space – you can sit in a bean bag if you like – and soak up the music.’

Concert screenings are designed to be comfortable and welcoming for all community members, to help foster a love of music and maybe even spark an interest in music as a career.

‘Children's University is focused on making kids feel really welcome so they can engage in new experiences that might spark an interest,’ Georgia says.

‘This is an opportunity to see fantastic Tasmanian musicians, listen to music that you might not otherwise listen to and understand that these are all absolutely possible careers, not just as musicians, but also to work around the orchestra'.

Children's University stems from research at Cambridge University in the UK that identified that not all children get the same opportunity, access and connection to learning outside of school.

'Our mission is to find and facilitate connections to opportunities for learning across as broad an array of subjects and environments as we can,’ Georgia says.

Upcoming events supported by CU include:

• Burnie livestream event - Eivind Conducts Mahler’s Titan – 18 March at 7.30pm (duration 2 hours)
• Burnie livestream event - The Red Violin – 7 May at 6pm (duration 1 hour)
• Burnie livestream event - Vaughan Williams’ Tuba Concerto – 4 June (1 hour)
• Burnie livestream event - Brahms, Mozart and Beethoven – 31 July at 7.30pm (2 hours)
• Burnie livestream event - Concerto for Classical Accordion – 1 October (1 hour)
• Burnie livestream event - Beethoven’s Violin Concerto – 28 November at 7.30pm (2 hours)