By means of: Jessica Rovers
Mon Nov 20, 6:51 pm
General
GOES/NIEUWDORP – The Classic Express spent a whole week in Zeeland: two days at De Regenboog primary school in Nieuwdorp and three days at De Zuidwesthoek primary school in Goes. In the Classic Express, students from groups 3 to 7 discover the magic of classical music and jazz. They can clap along, ask questions and be moved by the music fragments they hear. The mini concerts are given by young musicians, prize winners of the Princess Christina Competition.
The extendable music trailer is the first mobile concert hall in the world and comes to schools throughout the Netherlands. More than 130,000 children have already come into contact with a world they might otherwise never have encountered. For Marjan Kouwenberg, teacher at De Zuidwesthoek, the visit is a nice addition to the music lessons she provides at school. “Music education is not a given in many schools. I play the guitar and started giving lessons because of my passion for music.”
Genres
Marjan prepared the visit to the Classic Express with all groups using a teaching package. “In addition to listening to music, they can also do some work themselves. I think that’s a nice combination. There is a small stage building on the bus and there is even technology available that can imitate the acoustics of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. For many children this is a unique experience and it encourages them to listen to music that they would not normally listen to. This is also reflected in the lessons we give at school: we introduce children to all kinds of genres and different musical instruments. We try to get children excited about music in this way.”
To play an instrument
Wouter van Steenbrugge is project leader and producer and has been involved since the founding of the Classic Express, almost seventeen years ago. “Fewer and fewer children are coming into contact with classical music. Now that concert halls are aging, we try to reach children from a young age by going to them. For many children it is an experience that they will not soon forget and may even inspire them to start playing an instrument themselves. Our aim is to be in one province three times every year. We are very happy that we have now been in Zeeland. That has been somewhat less in recent years. The Classic Express is particularly important here, because there is much less supply compared to other provinces such as North Holland. We hope to come this way again in the spring of 2024.”
