Impact Stories

Far Far Away

Our Far, Far Away storytelling concerts at Kings Place and the Southbank Centre have been delighting young children and their families for over 15 years. Thanks to our supporters, we are able to offer these shows at a heavily subsidised rate for local schools – giving more than 1,000 children a magical live music experience each year. Each show combines beautiful arrangements of a single composer’s music, performed by Aurora’s Players, with an original story by children’s poet Kate Wakeling. Led by an experienced storyteller, the shows provide a high-quality, fun and memorable experience of classical music, offering opportunities for meaningful engagement and skills progression (including singing, dancing and exploring rhythm and pulse).

“The performance was perfectly pitched for the age group. It was highly enjoyable and had a great mix of quiet listening, movement, singing and musical participation. The children were clearly delighted and, back at school, they talked about how they had enjoyed it.” – teacher feedback

“It was a magical, special performance from start to finish and I had tears in my eyes more than once.” – teacher feedback

Adapted performances for SEND schools

We also offer adapted versions of our storytelling performances for special schools. Led by a storyteller with SEND expertise, each performance is delivered in small groups and adapted to meet the needs of the pupils – for example with greater focus on sensory activities, or using sign language to support learning.

“A perfectly pitched performance which reflected the needs of the students. All students were totally engaged – a truly wonderful performance.”
– SEND teacher

“It was really interactive and sensory; our children were so engaged. They engaged even our most hard-to-reach pupils.”
– SEND teacher

‘Meet the Instruments’ – a new unit for Aurora Classroom

Aurora Classroom is a programme of music educational resources which supports and enriches children’s learning across the curriculum. Support from individual donors via the Big Give Christmas Challenge enabled us to create a new unit of learning, Meet the Instruments, through which children meet a variety of instruments and explore the elements of music in their classrooms. The unit is now available to all schools who are participating in the Aurora Classroom programme.

Teachers’ praise for Meet the Instruments

“I have had nothing but positive feedback from the teachers. One year 2 class have a little impromptu dance when they hear it’s time for music.”

“It inspired the children. They were talking about pitch to their friends. It was lovely to see them showing what they had learnt”

“The best music programme I have used in my 18-year teaching career”