performance by narrator and orchestra for children
News and upcoming events for The Happiness Box
How exciting that Wobbley, Martin and Winston will make their debut with the SSO at the Sydney Opera House in November!
We can't wait.
See here for more details:
We are so pleased that the QSO will perform The Happiness Box from 23-24 May at the QSO Studio South Bank in Brisbane. See this link for more details:
https://www.evensi.com/the-happiness-box-qso-education-concerts-qso-studio/207722512
We're so pleased to let you know that The Happiness Box adaptation was chosen by Radio National's RN Drive as one of their 'Best in 2016'. To hear more, go to:
How lovely to receive this review from Stephanie Eslake in the November 2016 edition of Limelight magazine:
Well, it has taken the best part of a year and much labour and love, so I am thrilled to announce that a recording is now available of The Happiness Box adaptation, featuring the always-marvellous Stephen Curry and the stellar Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brett Kelly.
As an added bonus, Brett also guides young listeners through the sections of the orchestra using small examples from the piece to illustrate the different sounds made by wind, brass, percussion and strings.
We hope this recording can be enjoyed by families (car trips, quiet time while mum or dad make dinner, etc) and also as an educational tool for teachers in the classroom.
It will be available as a digital download via iTunes and also in traditional form as a CD. It is so fresh that we are just in the process of uploading the files to iTunes and working out the best way to distribute the CD. More information will appear very soon, and please, at this stage, send us an enquiry at info@thehappinessbox.com.au.
Congratulations and big thanks to the very many people involved in nurturing this recording towards fruition, in particular Edward and Alastair Griffin, who generously supported this project.
What a great drawing and description from Pari and Sonika of the Powerful Nines blogspot in New Zealand.
Mrs Bizzy's Class Blog demonstrates how magnificently the young audience listened and participated, thanks to some fancy footwork from cole jenkins and fabulous music making by conductor hamish mckeich and the nzso.
We are currently producing a recording of 'The Happiness Box' by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brett Kelly, with Steven Curry as narrator. It is exciting for us that people will have an opportunity to become familiar with the music and story before attending live performances, and enjoy the company of Winston, Martin and Wobbley and the sounds of the orchestra a little longer in their lounge rooms. We are about half way through this process - stay tuned for our progress. We certainly hope to have it available in time for the MSO's November '15 performances.
Conductor Hamish McKeich, leading the NZSO in a performance of 'The Happiness Box' at Rongotai College, Wellington, 13 May 2015
Cole Jenkins with the NZSO performing 'The Happiness Box', 13 May 2015
In the last week the NZSO have performed 'The Happiness Box' in Wellington and Palmerston North, with concerts coming up very soon in Taupo (20 May), Hamilton (21 May) and Auckland (22 May). Judging from the information on the NZSO's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/newzealandsymphonyorchestra, it looks like New Zealander children are enjoying it! Concerts are heavily booked, if not sold out, but for more information email hello@schoolkit.co.nz.
We couldn't be happier that the MSO have decided to programme The Happiness Box for a second time as part of their brilliant Classic Kids series.
For further information, please visit: http://www.mso.com.au/education/schools/schools-program/pre-and-primary/
We are thrilled that the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will tour The Happiness Box across New Zealand during May, 2015.
Dates and cities are as follows:
For more information, please visit: http://www.nzso.co.nz/education/music-for-schools/school-concerts/
Illustrations by Leslie Greener, 'The Happiness Box', The Australasian Publishing Company, Sydney 1947. Reproduced with permission from the Greener Estate. The front and back cover illustrations, and the middle insert entitled 'In the middle of the flower sat Bumble, the bee who knew everything', appear in colour in the book. The other black and white illustrations have been colourised for performance by Neale Mar.
Photos of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing The Happiness Box, conducted by Brett Kelly with Stephen Curry as narrator, reproduced with permission from the MSO.
The Happiness Box was commissioned by Symphony Services Australia, the Robert Salzer Foundation and Father Arthur E. Bridge AM for Ars Musica.
