Thousands of free tickets are on offer for a music festival for young people at the Southbank Centre this spring.

Events include a female hip-hop season and a live orchestral accompaniment to a Peter And The Wolf animation.

Dan Zanes and Friends, the American group, returns to the Queen Elizabeth Hall at Easter with £9 concerts for families with young children. They made their UK debut at the centre two years ago.

Gustavo Dudamel, 28, is bringing his internationally acclaimed Simó* Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela to Britain for the first concerts since they wowed the Proms two years ago.

Three new Dudamel dates have been added since the first two sold out. The orchestra is regarded as a triumph of music education among the poorest young people in Venezuela. Two concerts will be relayed live to the Clore Ballroom at the Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre.

The Peter And The Wolf concert will show an Oscar-winning Polish-British version of Prokofiev's story for children, accompanied by the City of London Sinfonia.

Jude Kelly, artistic director of the Southbank Centre, said the season was "the most vivid expression yet of our commitment to young audiences". About 25,000 free tickets are available.

Broad appeal: the music festival for young people will include a live orchestra accompanying an animated version of Prokofiev's Peter And The Wolf

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