Milkshake Live! reinvents the carol concert for a new generation at some of the finest concert halls in the country this Christmas, with the magical sound of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra playing a wide range of classical and yuletide favourites accompanied by Rupert Bear, Peppa Pig, Little Princess, Fifi Forget-Me-Not, Mr. Bump and Noddy.

Milkshake Live! reinvents the carol concert for a new generation at some of the finest concert halls in the country this Christmas, with the magical sound of the British Philharmonic Orchestra playing a wide range of classical and yuletide favourites accompanied by Rupert Bear, Peppa Pig, Little Princess, Fifi Forget-Me-Not, Mr. Bump and Noddy.

The BBC Philharmonic’s next family concert will be on Saturday 4th April 2009 at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.

Chris Jarvis will return to The Bridgewater Hall to present a delightful afternoon of classical music performed by the BBC Philharmonic. The programme features the enduring classic Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, narrated by Chris, who is well-loved for his expressive story-telling.

Watch the larger-than-life puppets and incredible acting, blended with the magic of the Hallé and the inventive narration of Roald Dahl's imaginative and hillarious version of Little Red Riding Hood. Dahl's feisty Little Red can certainly take care of a dim-witted wolf by herself in this not-to-be-missed performance!

To complete this astonishing experience, the Hallé will perform some magnificent music, including The Remarkable Farkle McBride, a child prodigy with astounding talents but little perserverance.

Christmas is such a magical time and, with help from the mischievous pixies of the Hallé, the Hallé Children's Choir and their enthusiastic conductor Ewa Strusinska, the captivating presenter Alasdair Malloy will get your celebrations off to a cracking start!

Each delightful piece captures a glimpse of Christmases past and present as we take A Fairytale Sleighride to the Magical Toyshop. Mix all this together with a good quaff of Christmas cheer, some suitably sparkling surprises and top with a sprinkling of fairy dust and you have yourself a truly magical Christmas.

Manchester Camerata's Haydn Study Day, on the weekend of the 200th anniversary of Haydn’s death, is part of the Orchestra's tribute to this truly original and influential composer. Haydn lived in relative isolation on the Esterhazy estate and without external influences relied on his own imagination, inventiveness and experimentation to develop his compositional style. We’ve selected a symphony from the three stages of Haydn’s career early, middle and late to highlight how he developed the symphony as a form, and his creative genius.

Come and discover more about Berg’s Chamber Concerto in this Study Day led by Berg expert, Douglas Jarman.

Berg is one of the central figures of 20th century music composition. His Chamber Concerto is a fine example of what is, arguably, a very formulaic approach to composition being transformed into a work of great passion and power. Berg dedicated the piece to Schoenberg for his 50th birthday, and uses the letters of his name to create the theme, he also uses ciphers throughout and the Adagio is a palindrome.

This hands-on musical event is a fantastic opportunity for children and their parents, guardians or grandparents to compose music, make costumes and act out the famous legend of Persephone and Hades.

Manchester Camerata musicians will be leading the fun at the event, which is supported by the Bank of America Foundation as part of the Chester Festival’s Education Programme.

Professor Nigel Simeone of the University of Sheffield, and Co-author of the Messiaen Companion, will present a talk on Messiaen's wartime masterpiece 'Quartet for the End of Time.

Written during the composers time in a prison of war camp in World War II, this hauntingly beautiful piece will be accompanied by a performance with Messiaen expert and world famous pianist Peter Hill and musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

No matter what your age or ability, there’s a part for you to play in this exciting, jam-packed, interactive, musical event, aimed at children (most suitable for 7-11 year olds) and their parents or guardians. You just need enthusiasm and energy!

The day will include:
A hands-on workshop where you will make your own instrument and costume
A percussion workshop, where you can have a go on a huge range of instruments with Manchester Camerata’s professional percussionist