In the context of the Patras Carnival 2025, a vibrant trio of events celebrating children’s inventiveness will be orchestrated by KEDIP-Patras Carnival. These include a Children’s Melody Festival, an educational initiative centered on “Crafting and Illustrating Whimsical Tales,” and a Puppet Extravaganza titled “The Guardians of Nature.” These endeavors are made possible in collaboration with the Directorate of Primary Education of Achaia.
Children’s Melody Festival
This magnificent celebration, scheduled for February 2025, reaches out to primary school students, children’s choruses, conservatories, and non-profit organizations, offering them a chance to become composers of the melodies they would like to hear and experience. This revival of a tradition initiated in Patras in 1996 aims to cultivate an original musical culture, echoing the creative voices of the city’s younger generations.
The festival’s duration spans from October 2024 to February 2025. Eligible participants include school choruses, children’s vocal ensembles, and soloists under the age of 12; physical presence is required. Applications must be submitted by teachers or chorus directors to info@carnivalpatras.gr by December 16, 2024, at 12:00 pm. Late submissions will not be accepted.
A participation application must be accompanied by a full orchestration, score, and lyrics; a brief presentation; and a photograph of the participating group. Student compositions must originate from a single school, with a limit of one entry per chorus to ensure equal participation.
A total of 10 prestigious awards will be bestowed: three for Musical Composition, three for Lyrics, three for Presentation, and a special jury award. A 7-member jury of renowned artists will assess the submissions based on criteria including Sound Quality, Tonal Performance, Musical Communication, Originality, and Ingenuity.
Whimsical Writing and Illustration
This initiative is open to 4th to 6th-grade students and offers live creative writing and illustration workshops. To accommodate the anticipated interest, priority will be given to the first respondents. The action encompasses three workshops and the possibility of publishing an e-book featuring the students’ work.
Interested teachers must submit an application form by October 11, 2024, after which students can participate in writing and illustrating whimsical tales centered on the carnival theme. Each student group may submit only one project, which must be delivered to KEDIP by December 18, 2024.
Participating student groups will be awarded for their efforts and may have the opportunity to present their creations in person during the carnival-themed Fairytale Celebration Day.
Marionette Festival
Organized by KEDIP-Patras Carnival and the Directorate of Primary Education of Achaia, this enchanting festival revolves around the idea of highlighting environmental values through the art of puppetry. Participating students will craft their own puppets using eco-friendly materials, thereby becoming the “Guardians of Nature.”
This 5-month initiative involves students from public and private kindergarten and primary schools. Entries will be limited to 15, with each student group allowed to submit one or two projects. Participating teachers will receive educational support, including laboratory-experiential meetings, traditional puppet-making workshops, and an exhibition of the students’ work.
Both the Children’s Melody Festival and the Marionette Festival, as well as the educational activity centered on “Whimsical Writing and Illustration,” require the consent of parents and guardians for students’ participation.
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