Hallé Magic
Family/Community Gamelan Group
Hallé4Brass - Work with Young Offenders
Work with Special Needs Groups
Work with Older Members of the Community

Hallé Magic
Hallé Magic is a music and magic experience for toddlers and carers involving a trio of Hallé musicians.

In the first part of the session the Hallé Magic Box, a box of toys and props, is used to stimulate songs and rhymes, simple movements and musical games. The children and their carers are then encouraged to respond to the music in their own way - relaxing, cuddling, listening or joining in if they wish.

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Family/Community Gamelan Group
Hallé Education periodically runs one-off taster workshops and longer courses for members of the public. In the past successful family and community gamelan groups have been established in Sefton and Manchester. Individuals interested in future projects are encouraged to register their interest in taking part with the Gamelan and Community Projects Officer, Rachel Swindells.

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Hallé4Brass - Work with Young Offenders
This project, led by Hallé principal tuba player Ewan Easton, involves trainees being given Brass tuition. Over a twelve-week period, trainees are taught to read music and perform elementary repertoire, which they then have the opportunity to perform with Hallé musicians in front of their friends and family. The project has been run successfully in Thorn Cross Young Offender Institution since 2004.

Hallé Education recently conducted a Song-writing project with young people at risk of offending in Rochdale. It involved the young people working with Terry Caffrey, writer in residence at The Bridgewater Hall, and Hallé musicians in the creation of their original pieces.

Further projects with young offenders and young people at risk from offending are being developed.

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Work with Special Needs Groups
The Hallé has a long and well-established relationship with the Royal School for the Deaf and Communication Disorders, having developed a number of projects there since the mid 1990s. Working with the RSDCD's Musician-in-Residence, Hallé musicians and other artists provide musical opportunities for young people with special needs facilitating the RSDCD's music education programme.

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Work with Older Members of the Community
This involves creative sessions led by two Hallé musicians in settings such as residential homes and day centres. The sessions involve the participants experiencing what it feels like to play in an orchestra through activities such as call and response games, responding to music with movement and conducting. Participants are also able to compose poetry and music based on a given theme. 

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