(Photo credit: Christopher Ison)

In celebration of its new education programming, a multi-school children’s choir performed at the Handel Hendrix House.

The Mayfair museum once home to G.F. Handel and Jimi Hendrix, has launched a new learning program for primary and secondary school students. The program includes school tours aimed at KS2, KS3 and KS4, music-focused workshops led by professional performing musicians, playing period instruments for KS1, KS2 and KS3, and a “Baroque focus” offering. Sessions take place across the museum and in a purpose-built learning studio.

Musicians from schools in London, Kent, and Surrey visited the museum to perform Handel’s Music for” The Royal Fireworks.” The 100 children were joined by Katherine Jenkins, who stated in a press release, “It was so special to be a fly on the wall at Handel Hendrix House whilst all of these brilliantly talented children rehearsed ‘The Royal Fireworks.’ Observing how the legendary composer used his home to play through new works was excellent field research for my involvement in the upcoming Handel biopic ‘The King Of Covent Garden’ starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and I feel even more inspired having spent time in the space.”

Grace Scott-Deuchar, Learning and Communities Manager at Handel Hendrix House, said, “I am thrilled to be launching this new schools programme, offering the opportunity for young people to immerse themselves in our inspiring historic buildings and to go deeper into the stories and musical techniques of some of the most famous music ever written. Today we have brought together 100 young musicians to enjoy the unique experience of playing in Handel’s house and working with brilliant musicians from the Royal Academy of Music. Everyone at the museum is very grateful to the students and their teachers for celebrating the launch with us.”

The Handle Hendrix House has also opened new exhibitions about Handel’s music and the musicians he worked with, and a mixed reality audiovisual display about the writing of Messiah in the very room in which it was composed. For Hendrix, they now offer an exhibition featuring a film that explores Hendrix’s guitar technique and his influence on musicians and creatives.