During the first week of the fall school holiday, from September 29 to October 4, Spielwerkstatt Kleinhüningen will be transformed into a lively music center. Children and young people ages 5-13 will meet musicians from the Sinfonieorchester Basel here every day and, together with professional community musicians, create a week of music. Whether songwriting, drum circles, or free improvisation—the focus is on shared experiences, creative experimentation, and social interaction through music.

The Basel Symphony Orchestra is the first professional orchestra in Switzerland to carry out a unique community music pilot project of this kind. The educational approach originated in the Anglo-Saxon world and focuses on making music together and the participation of all—regardless of musical knowledge or background, music is thus brought into the heart of urban society. “Music is a human right,” says Lana Zickgraf, head of music education with the orchestra. “In our workshops, children should discover their own creative power and make music together with others—on an equal footing and in a safe space.”

The play workshop is an integral part of the neighborhood’s open child and youth work. For managing director Natalie di Cuore, the project is a real asset: “Community music embodies what open child and youth work is all about: children should be themselves without pressure to perform, discover new things, and have experiences in community with others that strengthen them.”

The program takes place from 9:30-16:15 on each day. Participation in this project is free of charge. No prior knowledge is required and existing instruments are welcome to be brought along. You can register your child by email at l.zickgraf@sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch. Sign them up quickly because the number of places is limited!

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