orchestra

The school holidays are almost upon us — just 5 sleeps to go! With the Prime Minister’s announcement that we will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 from midnight tonight, we thought this calls for some kind of celebration. And what better way to celebrate than with music?

These school holidays, from September 26 — October 11, Wellington City Libraries are inviting you to Make Musical Mayhem with us at your local library or community centre! There’s heaps to do, from awe-inspiring interactive performances with our friends at Orchestra Wellington and musical craft extravaganzas with LEGO and recycled materials, to workshops on making music for robots, speed-dating musical instruments, and even a big dance party at our new Central branch, Te Awe Library on Brandon Street. There’s fun for the whole family, so check out the schedule below, or go to our event calendar for the full details of what’s on offer at your library!

Image of digital equaliser software displaying rainbow-coloured volume bars at different heights.

Get ready to make beautiful musical mayhem at your library during the school holidays!

Building Sound: Creating Music with Apps

Want to make music at home? Come along and learn how to make your own tunes at home using apps. We will explore different music-making apps, and how to layer different sounds and instruments to create our own pieces of music. Tablets will be provided, however we encourage you to bring your own.

Suitable for ages 8+ with their caregivers.

Te Awe Library, Tuesday 29 September, 11.00am

Introduction to the Orchestra

Want to learn about the inner workings of an orchestra? In preparation for “Where’s My Triangle?” with Orchestra Wellington on the 4th of October, Te Awe Library will be screening an entertaining guide to the orchestra, suitable for the whole family!

Bring your parents and grandparents — everyone is sure to learn something new.

Te Awe Library, Sunday 27 September, 1.30pm

Let’s Go LEGO®: Musical Edition

Are you a master builder in disguise? Join us for this special music-themed edition of Let’s Go LEGO® for our musical school holidays. Let’s build – let’s explore – let’s create your LEGO® magnum opus!

Suitable for ages 5+ with their caregivers.

Khandallah Library, Friday 2 October, 3.30pm
Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Wednesday 7 October, 11.00am
Johnsonville Library, Friday 9 October, 11.00am
Brooklyn Library, Friday 9 October, 2.00pm
Te Awe Library, Sunday 11 October, 11.00am

Makey Makey: Music for Robots!

What if we told you you could make a musical instrument out of everyday materials you find lying around? A banana piano? No problem. A drum kit made of keys and coins? Why not! Join us for a special music-making session with our Makey Makeys — who knows what you’ll create!

Suitable for children of all ages with their caregivers.

Khandallah Library, Tuesday 29 September, 2.00pm
Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library, Tuesday 6 October, 2.00pm
Johnsonville Library, Wednesday 7 October, 11.00am

Musical Movie Screenings

Join us for these special music-themed movie screenings for the whole family! Find out which movies we are screening by calling the library, or come along in your PJs for a musical surprise! All movies chosen will have a G or PG rating. Popcorn supplied!

Te Awe Library, Thursday 1 October, 1.30pm
Karori Library, Thursday 8 October, 5.30pm

Musical Storytimes

Join us for these special musical storytimes, featuring songs and musical stories for the whole family! Come along prepared to make some noise — bring your own instruments if you’re feeling extra brave!

Suitable for children aged 2-6 with their caregivers.

Karori Library, Wednesday 30 September, 10.30am
Khandallah Library, Tuesday 6 October, 10.30am
Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library, Wednesday 7 October, 10.30am

Party Time at Te Awe Library!

To celebrate the end of the school holidays, you are invited to a special party right here in the library! Do you want to play party games? Do you enjoy dance and song? Then grab your grown-up and bring them along to Te Awe Library prepared to have LOTS OF FUN!

Suitable for ages 6-9 with their caregivers.

Te Awe Library, Friday 9 October, 11.00am

Recycled Musical Crafts

Did you know that you can make a harmonica out of popsicle sticks? Or a guitar from a tissue box? Get your craft on these school holidays and turn your trash into treasure as we make our very own musical instruments from everyday items! Materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own recycled item if there’s something special you wish to transform.

Suitable for ages 5+ with their caregivers.

Te Awe Library, Friday 2 October, 11.00am

Speed-Date a Musical Instrument!

Ever wanted to know what it’s like to play a musical instrument you’ve never tried before? Come along for this special opportunity to get up close, have a go, and learn about various musical instruments at stations placed throughout the library. Friendly library staff will guide you through your introduction to these instruments and the musical world.

Suitable for ages 4+ with their caregivers.

Brooklyn Library, Thursday 1 October, 2.00pm
Wadestown Library, Thursday 8 October, 2.00pm

‘Where’s My Triangle?’ with Orchestra Wellington

Orchestra Wellington is proud to present their 2020 Music to Schools programme, “Where’s My Triangle?” by the POW! Trio. Join us for this unique opportunity to get up-close to the family of instruments played by the percussionists of Orchestra Wellington. The show features music for a variety of instruments and musical styles from classical to pop, and the POW! Trio takes us on an adventure of EPIC proportions as they introduce instruments you never even knew existed!

This event is suitable for children of all ages accompanied by their caregivers. Special thanks to our friends at Orchestra Wellington!

Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library, Thursday 1 October, 10.30am
Newtown Library, Thursday 1 October, 1.30pm
Newlands Community Centre, Friday 2 October, 10.30am
Karori Library, Friday 2 October, 1.30pm
Johnsonville Library, Sunday 4 October, 10.30am
Te Awe Library, Sunday 4 October, 1.30pm

Three musicians, smiling, playing a marimba with 6 wooden mallets

Join the POW! Trio from Orchestra Wellington for this hands-on performance!

Hi Kids! Check four latest new non fiction added to the children’s collections. Read all about dragon and other fascinating creatures, ways you can create minecraft projects with household items, how a writer overcame difficulty and challenges to becoming a successful author of a timeless children’s classic and how girls can become more confident! Great books to read during the winter season!

Enjoy!

Unofficial Minecraft STEM lab for kids : family-friendly projects for exploring concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math.

“In Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids, you’ll find a collection of creative projects that make learning science, technology, engineering, and math exciting and fun for the whole family. Start with a Minecraft lesson that gets beginners up to speed on terminology and gameplay. Then venture off on six action-packed Quests, each with four unique Labs that pair a hands-on activity with an in-game project. Look to the sky, dig beneath the ground, explore cycles in science, and engineer solutions to design challenges! Learn to document your Lab activities with sketchnoting, and how to screencast and narrate videos to share with family, friends, and other Minecrafters. Enjoy Minecraft together–and harness its powerful potential for learning–with Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids”– Provided by publisher.

Overall, the coolest book to date, that encompasses all the elements of STEM concepts that will help kids get the necessary skills to go far in the future, while having fun at the same time with elements of Minecraft.

Eric Carle‘s dragons dragons & other creatures that never were.

An illustrated collection of poems about dragons and other fantastic creatures by a variety of authors, combined with Carle’s artistic illustrations that beautifully capture the descriptions embedded within the poems.

Becoming Madeleine.

Read all about the life of Madeleine L’Engle, famous writer and author of timeless classic, A Wrinkle in Time from her lonely childhood, financial insecurity, and countless rejections of her writing–and eventual triumph. A inspirational book to read and ideal for fans of L’Engle’s writing or anyone want to become a writer.

The confidence code for girls : taking risks, messing up, & becoming your amazingly imperfect, totally powerful self.

“Girls can rule the world– all they need is confidence. This empowering, entertaining guide from the bestselling authors of The Confidence Code gives girls the essential yet elusive code to becoming bold, brave, and fearless. It’s a paradox familiar to parents everywhere: girls are achieving like never before, yet they’re consumed with doubt on the inside. Girls worry constantly about how they look, what people think, whether to try out for a sports team or school play, why they aren’t getting “perfect” grades, and how many likes and followers they have online. Katty Kay and Claire Shipman use cutting-edge science and research, as well as proven methods of behavioral change, to reach girls just when they need it the most– the tween and teen years. Packed with graphic novel strips; appealing illustrations; fun lists, quizzes, and challenges; and true stories from tons of real girls, The Confidence Code for Girls teaches girls to embrace risk, deal with failure, and be their most authentic selves”–Amazon.com.

Making Musical Mayhem these School Holidays!