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The fun sounds of music

by Elizabeth Kerfoot
23/ 2/2007

THERE'S never been a better time to flex your creative muscles. Adults can take their pick from a range of artistic activities across the city this weekend - or brave the great outdoors for a spot of bird-watching.

Teenagers can make music with the BBC Philharmonic, while younger children can get artistic using inspiration from the past.

And you can round off your weekend with some relaxing star-gazing, perfect for the young and young-at-heart alike.



HEAD to Manchester Art Gallery on Sunday for the sixth in its series of nine monthly Modern Movements art lectures.

The series aims to explore various 20th century art movements and this month's lecture, Abstract Art, sees local art historian Nirvana Romell focusing on the work of Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.

The lecture lasts from 2pm to 3.30pm and entry costs £5. Call the gallery on 0161 835 8888 to book.

Head to the Castlefield Gallery tomorrow to take in Khusra: Stains And Stencils, a new multi-media exhibition by artist Qasim Riza Shaheen.

The exhibition explores the nature of gender and is the culmination of two years of research and relationship-building with the Khusra community in Lahore, Pakistan.

The exhibition, which coincides with the release of a book of essays, includes photography, videos, art installations and performances. From 1pm to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday. Entrance is free.

BUDDING twitchers should head down to Sale Water Park this Sunday for its Introduction To Bird Identification training course.

The day-long event kicks off with a theory session covering bird habitats, survey methods, the hazards of identifying of birds and advice on identification resources. In the afternoon, there is a practical field trip to Pennington Flash, in Leigh, and you'll leave with a NCFE (Northern Council for Further Education) certificate.

The course costs £30 (concessions available), including maps and transport to the field trip. 10am to 4.30pm.

THE Cornerhouse is unveiling a lively new exhibition from local artist Fiona Curran this weekend.

The exhibition presents new site-specific work in the Cornerhouse's bar area, while the café will show previously unseen work.

The work, which incorporates brightly-coloured patterns and interesting shapes, was developed after research into historic collections of wallpapers and textiles.

Free entry, Saturday and Sunday.

THE BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is inviting youngsters aged between 12 and 18 to create original sounds at a special workshop at its Composer Lab this Sunday.

The session is part of the BBC Proms Young Composers' Competition in association with The Guardian. Teenagers attending on Sunday are welcome and they will have the chance to enter the competition by submitting their own compositions.

The really good news is that the winning music will be performed at a special BBC summer concert to which all entrants will be invited. Entry is free. Call 0297 765 2679 for more information.

KIDS with an interest in history can take part in the Studio Sessions at Imperial War Museum North this Sunday.

The sessions take in a range of creative techniques and use different materials to discover the museum's themes.

Children from the age of seven can learn to express how they feel about the museum's exhibits by creating some art of their own.

It is on from 1.30pm until 4pm, in the Learning Studio. Call 0161 836 4000 for more information.

REACH for the stars tomorrow at Manchester's Science and Industry Museum.

The Night Sky Planetarium Show in the Air & Space Hall offers a seasonal view of the stars and planets as seen from the North West.

It's a must for anyone aged six or over. Shows take place at 2pm and 3.30pm.

IF you're looking for some inspiration, sign up for Manchester Art Gallery's two-day adult training course, Clay: An Introduction To Ceramics, led by veteran Manchester ceramicist Helen Felcey.

You'll get to grips with two types of clay - porcelain and grogged stoneware - and learn form-making methods like hand-building, press-moulding and throwing.

Decoration techniques will include mono-printing, inscribed drawing and mark-making.

The light-hearted course aims to inspire a connection for the material and create some interesting items to take home.

The course costs £25 (£20 for concessions) and includes four hours of teaching on both Saturday and Sunday, between 11am and 4pm. Call the gallery on 0161 835 8888 to book.