Preschoolers across the UK are invited to an orchestra performance with a difference this January. Created for children aged two to five, it will be live-streamed across the country for free and will help raise awareness of the importance of early years music.

The Apple Tree will be broadcast live on Thursday 30 January from 11am to 11:45am at http://www.connectresound.live/watch

A friendly old apple tree and the source of a tasty, juicy snack! But a month later, the tree is bare. Icicles suddenly appear, followed by leaves, then blossom, and then birds and bees. But will there ever be any more juicy apples to eat?

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) – featuring soprano Kirsty Hopkins – will perform The Apple Tree which explores the changing seasons. Organisers NYMAZ, a youth music charity, is hoping for a huge audience from all corners of the UK. Director Sarah McWatt explains:

“This is our first ever live-streamed performance for children under the age of five. We are inviting early years settings, schools, playgroups and families to tune in for free to meet the magnificent instruments of the orchestra and enjoy a musical feast!

“There will be opportunities for singing, signing and plenty of joining in. Music is so beneficial for young children as it helps develop a wide range of skills, from language to coordination and fine motor skills.

This performance is a brilliant way of sharing music with pre-schoolers and we also have lots of other fun activities linked to the EYFS curriculum in our free resource pack which will be available at connectresound.live”

For more details of what to expect, visit connectresound.live/whats-on/

The performance is a co-production by Orchestras Live, NYMAZ and Durham and Darlington Music Education Hub.

It has been made possible thanks to funding from The Foyle Foundation, Youth Music, Paul Hamlyn Foundation Learning Through the Arts Fund, Arts Council England, Music For All and The Mayfield Valley Arts Trust AHT Enterprise Fund.

The performance will be broadcast live on Thursday 30 January from 11:00 to 11:45 from Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens in County Durham via www.connectresound.live/watch