New Britten app launched for children

1 July 2013, 15:46 | Updated: 1 July 2013, 16:25

A new recording of Britten's most famous piece, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, forms the basis of a new app, introducing young people to classical music.

Benjamin Britten's most famous piece, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, is being used as the inspiration for a new musical app for children. In celebration of the composer's centenary year, musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music Symphony Orchestra and Sir Mark Elder have recorded a special performance to feature on the app, alongside games, quizzes, and an interactive score.

Director of the Britten─Pears Foundation, Richard Jarman, said: "In 1946 Britten was in the vanguard of music education with the film Instruments of the Orchestra, which used the most modern technology of the day to introduce children to the orchestra. We started by asking how Britten would have done this if he were alive today and could use our modern technologies. Our answer has been to create an App that will give children and families lots of fun in exploring the orchestra and its instruments."

The app is available as a free download, and will be available on the Britten 100 website from September. If you can't wait that long, you can hear the recording at the heart of the app on Classic FM this evening from 8pm on tonight's Full Works Concert.