Press Release
LONDON -- Mums and musicians Miaomiao Yu and Philippa Mo began their classical music series "Classics with my Baby" after becoming frustrated at not being able to take their children to the sort of quality classical music concerts that they regularly enjoyed as professional musicians.
Miaomiao, an award-winning pianist, wanted to perform for her son in a concert setting, but found it unrealistic for many reasons, including the late nights.
"And then I thought, this is silly: why not play for him and his friends and other babies and toddlers, at a kid-friendly time? The idea grew from there," said Miaomiao, who is also a professor of piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
The women met when Miaomiao began teaching Philippa’s son piano lessons. They started comparing notes.
“I’ve been taking my son to concerts since he was 4-weeks-old,” recalled Philippa, “He was enthralled, and proved my theory that kids will thrive in a concert setting as long as they are given the opportunity in the first place."
Philippa, an acclaimed violinist who has performed at places like Wigmore Hall, worked with Miaomiao to design a rigorous musical programme for babies that wouldn't have been out of place at the Proms.
For instance, a recent programme included Telemann, de Falla, Brahms and Shostakovich. "We didn't want to dumb it down for children. Studies show the positive effects of classical music and children are like little sponges at this stage. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to experience the same high calibre performances as that enjoyed by adults in the best concert halls of the world?” asks Miaomiao.
Encouraged by the overwhelming response to their first concert -- one fan posted this video on Twitter -- the duo expanded to 10 venues across London -- Borough, Chelsea, Clapham, Dulwich, Greenwich, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Hampstead Village, Islington, Notting Hill, and Wimbledon
Instead of playing at modest community halls, the duo chose venues with a specific sense of atmosphere. "We want babies to enjoy sophisticated music and that’s aided by fantastic atmosphere and acoustics, as well as fabulous guest artists, " said Philippa, adding that exhausted parents deserve an inspiring setting as much as anyone.
The musicians are mums first and foremost and welcome all the frenzy that comes along with being a parent of a young child. "It's about Mozart and Bach, feeding and crying, and dancing to music - all of it," said Miaomiao. "We haven't made it through a concert without at least one nappy change. That's the way it should be," she said.
Concerts run from 10.30 am- 11.30 am in 10 locations across London. Their “eat cake and mingle” from 10am offers much needed calories and company for mums.