OVER 350 Canberran school students have escaped the heat and converged at Canberra Grammar School, which has been transformed into a hub of creative ideas, and musical collaboration with muppets and mayhem! 

A team over 30 teaching staff, comprising some of Canberra’s most respected musicians, have led students through a journey of how music, humour, and puppetry can tell stories and entertain audiences.

The annual Summer School event is the brainchild of the Young Music Society,  one of the largest school holiday programs in Australia, with young people aged between 5 and 17 attending the two-week program. Participants come from Canberra and the surrounding regions and many return year after year for musical fun and friends.

The school is full of activities – over 300 students have learnt to perform an arrangement of “The Muppet’s Mañana” on instruments they have only learned for a week.

Each student has learnt  to build life size puppets to create a muppet-style musical performance and there are classes that explore new types of creative thinking, such as Gym slapsticks, our Kazoo Orchestra, design your own Radio Play, a class exploring Cartoon Sounds, how to Write a Loony Tune and an exploration of the Science of Music.

There is a Junior Program for students in Kindergarten to Year 4,  a Senior Program for students in Year 5 to Year 10; and an Advanced Program for students of an appropriate musical ability.

The Creative Director of the 2013 Summer School is Tim Bevitt – known as Mr Tim to thousands of Canberran children whom he has previously inspired in school workshops and his debut CD Bartimus Fum’s Rock Mission. Tim is a classical trained pianist and primary school teacher who has over 10 years experience of crafting programs to give all children a chance to participate, learn, and have fun through music and the creative arts.

The Young Music Society is a lynchpin of Canberra’s musical culture – established almost 40 years ago. It runs holiday programs, weekly classes, and hires out instruments to Canberrans.

“Muppets and Merry Melodies Extravaganza” on Thursday 6.30pm  January 17 in the Memorial Hall, Canberra Grammar School, Monaro Street Red Hill.