Musicians from the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National and Scottish Opera orchestra are heading to a small town in Cheshire for a spectacular concert presented by the internationally acclaimed Paul Rissmann.
Rissmann is regarded as Europe's leading music animateur. The motivation bringing him and heavy weight musical talent from across Britain to a church hall in Marple is a three year old girl called Martha.
If you watched little Martha playing with her friends you would see a lively child living life to the full, but underneath the surface this little girl is seriously ill. Martha was born with a rare kidney disease. Doctors have tried every drug in the medical text book without success, even a course of Chemo therapy drugs failed. But her parents aren’t about to give up so they set up the “Find a cure for Martha campaign” with Kidney Research UK to help not only their little girl but millions of other people who live with dis-functioning kidneys.
Mum Paula said; “She’s a very special little girl. Every morning Martha gets out of bed, she greets the world with a smile and makes the most of her day.”
So inspired by the courage of a three year old and her parents, a musician who performs throughout Europe is heading to Cheshire to present a concert for children. Paul Rissmann is one of the best-known faces of classical music in Europe; particularly well known for bringing the sophisticated world of classical music to children. He devises and presents orchestral concerts for people of all ages. His ethos is simple - choose the best possible music and find the most exciting way to introduce the incredible sound of the orchestra to new listeners.
His presenting experience is diverse and ranges from full-scale orchestral concerts for the under 5’s to in-depth music discovery concerts. Central to the concert experience is Paul's innovative use of technology, creating a bespoke digital presentation to act as a backdrop for the orchestra. Critics say of Rissmann; “He is not just serious, he is passionate about getting children of all ages hooked on music. He is an extremely skilled musician. At the centre of every one of his projects is real music"
The performance in a church hall in Marple will be an interactive concert aimed at children under the age of eight and their parents although everyone is welcome. The intent is to captivate the children attending through words and music; before each piece is played by the musicians Rissmann will introduce it. And, from that moment, everything is different. Rissmann will not merely introduce and present the piece, he will take it apart, analysing it, furnishing a guide to how it works, landmarks to lead you through the piece, how the composer did it, what it's all about, then putting it together again, with illustrated examples played.
These days an animateur is an integral part of an orchestra. They are musicians who are committed to community work. Rissman has held thousands of three-year-olds in thrall as he guides them through the intricacies of music from Bach to Stravinsky. Indeed, such is Rissmann's unique skill and craft at making classical music accessible that he is now in international demand.
Rissmann’s aim, “to animate, to bring to life, to enliven, to spark, to create, to produce”. As a reporter from the Times said after a Rissmann concert; "Listen he said and they listened. Watch he said and they watched.
The concert will take place on Saturday August 30th at 2pm in the Bowyer hall, All Saints Church Marple. Tickets cost £2 for children and £3 for adults. For information on how to book contact Paula Stringer at paula@toastdeli.com or you can buy tickets from Toast Deli, Market Street Marple, Littlewoods Butchers, Church Lane, Marple or All Saints Church, Marple.
