The story of a brave little glowworm who embarks on a musical forest adventure will be told through the Auckland Philharmonia’s Tunes 4 Tamariki children’s concert entitled, Hana the Glowworm. This glittering new production weaves together talent from across Aotearoa songwriting, composition, youth theatre, and the Auckland Phil, into a fun-filled show in the Aotea Centre and Bruce Mason Theatre this April.
Tunes 4 Tamariki: Hana the Glowworm is Aotearoa’s newest semi-staged children’s musical, an interactive live music experience for under eights that invites the audience to join Hana, a curious little glowworm, on her adventure to find the Auckland Phil. Performed by a fabulous company of 14 young theatre stars and Auckland’s professional orchestra, the concert features the original ‘Hana the Glowworm’ songs that were written by award-winning local songwriter, Chris Sanders and scored by New Zealand-based arrangers Adrian Hollay, Linda Dallimore, Joshua Clark, Anna Reyes and Camryn Nel. This will be accompanied by children’s singalong favourite ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ and more.
Over the course of the family-friendly 45-minute performance, tamariki will learn about native Aotearoa fauna and the instruments of the orchestra, can dance and sing along with the music, and join a walk through the orchestra while the musicians are playing to see the instruments up close. Ahead of the concert, free activities include face painting, Aspiring Musician performances and colouring in competition.
The touching tale of Hana the Glowworm follows Hana, a glowworm who is drawn out into the world for the first time by beautiful music. In her search for the music’s source, she makes new friends, including a cave eel, and discovers musical instruments that have been lost by their owners. Hana the Glowworm explores themes of friendship and teamwork, going beyond our comfort zone to find our own light, and introduces children to the different instruments and sections of an orchestra.
