What will we do at PFMC?
What will we do? A typical day at PFMC
Breakfast is at 7.45am, followed by percussion party, where everyone learns to groove by beating polyrhythms on old tubs and buckets.
Then we have the first of two chamber or jazz group sessions (these are in small groups of about 5-10 players. This is where we can really hear ourselves play, putting our personalities into our instrument and our music, and recognising the equally vital parts played by each musician. After a break the musicians come together again as a whole to play in the PFMC orchestra. The repertoire for this is taught using rhythmics, dance sequences and words to enable our players to embody rhythms and tricky passages both off and on their instruments. After this they sing, jam, chat and dance together in the PFMC choir, learning music by ear from around the world, creating beautiful harmonies, and occasionally a hopping rhythm section too!
Lunch is at 12.45, and is followed by a long afternoon of freedom. We picnic, visit forests and riverbanks (with guidance and supervision) and take part in lots of creative happenings from art and craft, piano performances and chess games, rob Cluedo, spontaneous music collaborations, tennis and daisy chains.
After tea at 3.30, we have another orchestra session, followed by another chamber/jazz session, and then a well deserved dinner is served. Evening frisbee is followed by some entertainment (e.g. campfire, staff concert or a high energy ceilidh) with story-reading, hot cocoa and lullabies to wind down before bed.
Extras and highlights:
There are numerous musical and non-musical opportunities and experiences packed into the week. Evening entertainment such as staff concert, talent show, camp-fire and ceilidh are highlights. If it rains we have plenty of fun and creative indoor activities to do, like story-reading, arts and crafts, and loads of games. At the end of the week the children put on a fantastic concert, showcasing their vibrant musical creativity, with all their new friends around them.
