Woodgate Christmas Concert 2015
Woodgate Resources Centre was packed out last Friday for the Christmas Concert. Every chair in the building was in use and children had to sit on the floor at the front to allow the last few adults to squeeze in. The first of the centre's two annual concerts, it showcased the work of the local young musicians who visit the centre every week for their music lessons. Youth Music has helped fund this important and long-standing music program and this account will, I hope, show how money well-spent can contribute to the wellbeing of a whole community.
I did the concert programme for the Christmas concert. It took me three weeks to get all the names, pieces and instruments (almost) right. In the end, 83 children played 37 different pieces ranging from a grade 8 Debussy piece to an invented group piece on guitar with narrative and sound effects and a lot of zombie action. There were improvised bass guitar and keyboard pieces, inventive ensembles, singing from the choir and a really warm atmosphere throughout. For me, this was the first Woodgate concert I had been to. It was an eye-opening end to a term in which I have learnt much.
During the day the centre is calm and quiet and low key. This belies the fact that every week 150 children have lessons here, many of whom have English as a second language and some who have special needs. All cultures are represented at Woodgate but it never seems to be an issue. Geoff, the manager, puts this down to the fact that Woodgate is first and foremost a community centre and offers activities and services for the whole community. The music has grown up alongside the other activities and so families are coming to a place they already know and feel involved in. There was a clear feeling at the concert that the audience felt right at home at the centre.
I joined Woodgate earlier this year with many preconceptions. My previous community project was based outside Leicester where social cohesion and isolation are major issues. I was prepared to fight tooth and nail for those values at Woodgate but in the 6 months since I have been here I have realised – with a great deal of joy – that without making a song and dance about it, the centre is winning those battles. Music is a big part of that because each of the 150 children has carers, family and friends who live in the area and who know what is going on there. It is a great example of how a straightforward project – to offer affordable music lessons with flexibility for those in financial straits – can create a unique identity for an area. It is worth emphasising that, while there is great variation in the music taught, classical music played on traditional instruments is highly valued by the residents of Woodgate. Children return year after year and develop both in confidence and skill and, importantly, they grow up to feel part of this community. The first set of evaluations completed by learners painted an overwhelmingly positive picture with a big correlation between enjoyment of their music lessons and their general feeling of social well-being - this in an inner city area in which 23 languages are spoken in approximately one square mile. The knock-on effects of a strong community are all well-documented and the Woodgate area is proof of those good effects.
Looking ahead, therefore, the obvious need is to ensure the continuation of this project – now 10 years old. We are doing this by expanding the group activities at the centre: the choir, the band and a song-writing class. These build on the skills of the staff at Woodgate and will broaden our provision as a centre, ensuring that every child locally has something that they can be involved in. They will also enable us to generate income to the centre from outside Woodgate. At the same time we are working towards the music lessons becoming financially sustainable. So, from Woodgate, we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year!