There's something sweet in the National Gallery.....

Children from Dublin 8 perform their version of Humperdinck's famous opera 'Hansel and Gretel' in the Shaw Room of the National Gallery.

At 12.00pm on Saturday December 13^th the usual residents of the Shaw Room may raise an eyebrow or two as the children of the Dolphin House Homework Club in Rialto perform their own version of Humperdinck's famous Opera Hansel and Gretel. What Daniel O'Connell and his colleagues will observe from their vast gilt frames are thirty children performing live with five professional musicians.

This performance is the culmination of a year's work by the Homework Club, a programme of the Rialto Youth Project. The performance is part of a music education programme called 'Music for Me', initiated by Common Ground, a local arts development organisation. 'Music for Me' supports the musical development of children within Dublin 8 by providing them with opportunities to engage and learn alongside professional musicians. For some of the children performing, this will mark their fourth year of involvement in the programme.

The line up of professional musicians is pretty staggering by any one's standards. Elaine Agnew, Lyric FM's Composer in Residence in association with the National Symphony Orchestra, has been involved in the programme since she facilitated the very first workshop on day one. Nick Roth, saxophonist and musical education specialist, works with the children on a weekly basis in the Homework Club, accompanied by skilled guitarist and sitar player Dara O'Brien.

'I really don't think there's another programme like this one,' Agnew comments, 'it strives to cater for the needs of each individual child and I think that is what keeps us involved as musicians and makes the work truly unique.'

' Music for Me' has been developed by Common Ground over four years in partnership with community based Homework Clubs in Dublin 8. Participation in the programme is voluntary and any child who accesses the services of the Homework Clubs can become involved. Activities include weekly and seasonal music sessions based around the child's own calendar year. ' Music for Me' aims to create high quality music by and for every child in an atmosphere of joyful participation. At all stages of the programme' children are listening, responding, performing and composing.

Hansel and Gretel will be performed in St. Andrew's Resource Centre, Rialto at 7.00pm on Friday 12^th December and in the Shaw Room of the National Gallery at 12.00pm on Saturday December 13^th.