Get ready to play Grasswalk and Magic!
We’re thrilled to share that two wonderful BBC Ten Pieces are available to play on the Clarion for free.
The first is Grasswalk by Laura Shigihara, from the popular video game ‘Plants vs Zombies’. A composer and video game developer, Laura has worked on over 30 other games including World of Warcraft and Minecraft: The Story of Mojang. This lively and fun piece, with its catchy rhythms and playful tunes, shows how modern, familiar music can be a bridge into the broader world of classical music—perfect for engaging young musicians.
Laura explains: “It had to fit the style of the game – macabre but also cute and funny. I hope that when children enjoy music from the video games they play it might inspire them to learn a musical instrument because being able to express yourself through music is truly a wonderful thing.”
The second piece is Magic from Storm by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music between 2014 and 2024. Originally written for a choir of primary and secondary school students in Birmingham, this piece features words by William Shakespeare from his play The Tempest. Judith explains, “A magician called Prospero is talking to all the mysterious creatures who have helped him cast his spells in the past. Hopefully, the music will also sound as if it is light-footed and surprising, and as if it happened by magic.”
This piece is a fantastic addition to the Clarion repertoire, offering a contemporary and expressive work that will inspire pupils to develop their own musical creativity.
We’re incredibly grateful to the BBC for this opportunity to collaborate. Together, we commissioned arranger Ellen O’Brien to create new patterns for the Clarion, ensuring that Grasswalk and Magic could be played and enjoyed by everyone.
BBC Ten Pieces has been an important resource in introducing children to the world of classical music, and we hope this will give an additional incentive for young disabled musicians and their educators to explore these works.
Jennifer Redmond, BBC Ten Pieces producer says: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Open Up Music to make these arrangements of BBC Ten Pieces repertoire available to open ensembles, making fantastic music written by women available to as wide an audience as possible. This collaboration also represents a broader effort to use technology to enhance educational experiences, ensuring that learning remains engaging and relevant in today’s fast-paced world.”
Download the Clarion on your iPads and Windows PC devices now. Check all the The BBC Ten Pieces Grasswalk and Magic resources and more on the BBC website.
Additional resources on the Ten Pieces website include:
- Filmed performances of BBC Orchestras and BBC Singers performing the music
- Short films introducing the music and its composer
- Orchestral and vocal arrangements for varied levels of ability
- Curriculum-linked classroom activities and inclusive resources
Have fun making music!
