Innovative music project which brings popular children’s books to life comes to Doncaster

Musical Stories South Yorkshire will feature 74 events across the county for more than 6,000 children and their families.

The Arts Council England funded concerts organised by award-winning Sheffield music producer Concerteenies includes performances at Doncaster schools plus family events in

public venues.

They will vividly reimagine four illustrated children’s books using storytelling, music and energetic audience participation.

In Doncaster, upcoming shows on April 5 at The Point cost just £5 per adult, with the first child and babies under one going free.

One performance is also BSL interpreted to make the concerts as accessible as possible.

Concerteenies founder Polly Ives, who created the Musical Stories project with award-winning composer Paul Rissmann, said: “We are so excited to be bringing these incredible

stories to Doncaster schools and venues - especially during the Easter holidays when families are searching for things to do.

“For 95 per cent of children at these concerts they have never seen a musical instrument up close and it is their first musical experience.

“By presenting it through a story it makes it really accessible, fun and comfortable.

“A lot of children will have read the books so it is about introducing other elements to make it a sensory experience, bringing the story to life. They can sing, dance, clap along and enjoy it all together.”

Each book selected for Musical Stories has a positive message for children and has been matched with a particular instrument - from cello to clarinet, harp and the percussive

marimba.

The concerts aim to reach more diverse and underserved communities as well as boosting child development through music. Bespoke resources created as part of the project will also improve access for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and neurodiverse children.

Polly added: “We’d love to see what interest and need there is for our work in Doncaster as we’ve seen how important it can be to early years settings. The one thing I hope children take away from Musical Stories is that music can be part of their everyday life.”

The shows at The Point on April 5 retell the popular children’s book Mixed, with Louise Thomson on harp.

On May 31, Cast Doncaster will host another Musical Stories concert, this time bringing the book The Dinosaur Department Store to life with cellist Ashok Klouda. Tickets are available now at concerteenies.com/events