News

Update on 'Moor Music' Outreach Project

Moor Music reached a total of over 2,000 children over 35 workshops ranging from reception to Year 12.

On 24th and 25th January, 2023 with funding from Exmoor National Park we were able to deliver an additional 6 interactive classical music workshops on Exmoor with well established professional musicians. The Thorne Trio, comprising an Oboe, Bassoon and Clarinet, visited three Primary Schools at Lynton, Dulverton and Filleigh for two-hourly sessions in each school.

The project was held in remote rural locations with the purpose of exposing children on Exmoor to the imaginative and creative possibilities of classical music which they may not otherwise have encountered. Birdsong in Mahler (the cuckoo) and Beethoven's works were particularly used.
The success of this project was gauged by the children’s captivated response and evidenced by quotations received from our subsequent questionnaire:

Quotes from children at Dulverton Primary School:

“It made me think of the Moor”
“It made my brain feel awake”
“It made me think of deer running over the Moor”
“It made me feel calm and peaceful”
“The best thing was being a conductor”
“I felt happy and sad at the same time”

Filliegh Primary School
The teacher said “Thank you for another wonderful visit for our children to experience. It was thoroughly enjoyable and engaging. We feel very lucky as a school to have such great musicians come in and perform and work with us. I spoke to some children of differing ages this morning and here are their comments:"

"I thought it was amazing! I really liked Swan Lake on the oboe." (10 year old)
"It was a nice pattern of music. I really liked the clarinet because it went from low to high." (6 year old)
"My favourite was the oboe because it made funny noises. It was very loud and sounded like a bird. The instruments were speaking to me by playing the music." (9 yr old)
"It was good because there were instruments that I'd not seen close up before, like the bassoon. The music was very soothing. All the instruments were my favourite!" (9yr old)

The above quotations and enthusiastic response reveal that The Two Moors Festival is making a difference to children’s lives and continues to inspire them to consider the beauty and expanse of Exmoor National Park in its natural state and to listen and look out for these properties when they visit.