Notelets: A Musical Bus Tour

Notelets are back at The Centre, home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May 2027. This one is a musical bus tour, part of the CBSO's series of interactive concerts for children under six. The whole thing is built around giving young children the freedom to dance, sing and learn about musical instruments for the first time, so it's less about sitting still and more about getting stuck in.

Each Notelets concert follows a different theme and sets a children's book to music, with the musicians on stage bringing the story to life. Once the music stops, there's a chance to meet the musicians and try out some of the instruments yourself, which is often the bit the little ones enjoy most. The series is designed as an introduction to orchestral music, and the performances run for about an hour, so it's a manageable length for those with short attention spans. They're also BSL interpreted.

There's a bit more to it than just the concert, too: every session includes a free craft workshop before the music starts, so you can get the kids settled with something to make before the main event. Notelets and the orchestra's Family Concerts sit together as their family-friendly offering, and the Notelets are staged as intimate live performances at the CBSO's home to bring the audience closer to the music. If you've got under-sixes at home, it's a good way to introduce them to an orchestra without the pressure of a formal concert hall atmosphere.

It runs across two days, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May 2027, at The Centre in Birmingham. The performances last about an hour, with the free craft workshop beforehand and the chance to meet the musicians and try the instruments afterwards.