Classical Musician

The GREAT BIG Orchestra – inspiring the next generation

If you are looking for the ideal introduction to orchestral instruments for very young children, look no further than The Great Big Orchestra!

  • The Great Big Orchestra Peruse is a 10-minute concert piece piece for symphony orchestra by Peter Gritton. It is an ideal opener for a concert aimed at children. Listeners are guided through the piece by a narrator and there is an anthem to sing at the end – ‘We believe in the Great Big Orchestra!” The words are an inspirational affirmation and bring the work to its climax.
  • Listen to The Great Big Orchestra here, which can also be experienced at home and in the classroom as the soundtrack to a 7-minute video with illustrations by Frankie Gritton that cleverly personify the instruments to bring out their characteristic features. The Great Big Orchestra is merely the launchpad to the growing number of GBO products aimed at enthusing, encouraging and involving children at the start of their musical adventure.

The latest GBO release is called The Birthday Party and focuses on Orchestral Percussion – a 10-minute concert piece for narrator, orchestral percussion and piano (or strings), with opportunities for children to join in on their portable classroom instruments. Check out the book version of The Birthday Party with illustrations by Frankie Gritton bringing the story and the instruments even more to life. Footage of a performance of The Birthday Party can be viewed here to help those wishing to put on a performance to do so effectively.

Watch this space for String City which has been premiered in Southwark Cathedral in March 2025 and already enjoyed in primary schools in South London. Materials available later in 2025.

In short, the GBO series opens children’s eyes and ears at such a formative time. Hopefully when they show an affinity towards a certain instrument and begin to learn. Once they have made a solid start on their chosen instrument, you could consider putting on:

Please do contact Peter Gritton on info@petergritton.com if you want to hire materials or quite simply want to know more about the GBO concept. The following flow chart gives a clear overview of GBO possibilities!