Tigers and Teapots is a new CD of music for children being launched this Sunday. The CD features 40 children's songs, arranged and conducted by David Banney, performed by the beautiful voices of the Australian Waratah Girls Choir with one of Australia's leading string ensembles, Newcastle's Christ Church Camerata.

The initial inspiration for the project was David Banney's encounter with Geza and Csaba Szilvay, creators of the Colourstrings curriculum. The songs in this collection have been chosen for their value in the earliest stages of music education and are sung all over the English-speaking world.

Director of the Mothers and Babies Research Centre Professor Roger Smith says that to produce healthy babies and healthy individuals, you need more than just the absence of a disease.

"As individuals we are very much a product of our culture and society," he says, "and part of our culture is, of course, music."

Growing up with a good understanding of music helps to place a child in its cultural context, in that long tradition every society has of music and passing on knowledge from one person to another. 

"Music also helps to link us together into a society, and you cannot be healthy all by yourself," says Professor Smith.  "Music helps us to engage with other members of our society, to be healthy in that respect."

Come and join the celebration as David Banney and the Waratah Girls Choir join forces with HMRI's Mothers and Babies Research Centre to launch this exciting new CD of educational music for children Tigers and Teapots.

The launch will include songs and games for children, featuring the Waratah Girls Choir and some of Newcastle's best young string players, as well as a free sausage sizzle following the launch.

The Tigers & Teapots CD will be available for purchase, with a portion of the sales donated to HMRI to support health and medical research.

Admission is free.

WHEN: 3-4pm, Sunday May 19th

WHERE: HMRI Building (New Lambton Heights, behind John Hunter Hospital)

RSVP appreciated, but not essential. Phone (02) 4042 0580 or email peree.watson@hmri.com.au

Free parking is available for this event in the HMRI car park (Carpark 5).