South East

Singers from The Urban Vocal Group take part in cultural exchange trip to France. 

Oxfordshire County Music Service have been leading 'Musical Pathways', an Early Years music project, in 6 nursery / school / children's centre settings, over two years. Here Early Years specialist teacher Danielle Ballantine-Drake gives a breakdown of the approach taken to ensure that staff in the settings were upskilled and empowered to deliver more music in their own teaching, through a range of targeted CPD approaches.

Rhythmix has recently completed delivery on a West Sussex Music Trust project in Littlehampton funded by Youth Music. Here we give an overview of the project, the challenges, successes and the legacy left behind.

Reflecting on the launch of our App Skills books and evaluating their impact on music making through Youth Music Quality Framework.

Our Programme
Funded by Youth Music, Sonic Explorers was a SoCo Music Project programme for young people in special education and/or in challenging circumstances. This has seen us deliver weekly music-making sessions at Toynbee School HiVis Club (an after school music club for students with visual impairments), Cedar School (a school for young people with complex physical, health and learning difficulties) and Polygon School (a school for boys with complex emotional and behavioural needs. We have also delivered a family day in partnership with the Narcolepsy Unit at Southampton Children’s Hospital, which consisted of a variety of music-making activities for young people with Narcolepsy (a sleep disorder that affects approximately .05% of the population) whilst providing a valuable opportunity for parents to talk to each other, creating a support network.

Our Outcomes
Increase the musical composition and performance skills of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

Increased skills and awareness of music leaders, teachers and support staff to reduce or remove barriers to music-making for SEN/D Young People

Improved sense of well-being of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities

Rhythmix recently published a report into our Music In Mind programme following a three year external evaluation by Dr Alison Daubney and Greg Daubney. Here we explore one young person whose experience of residential mental health care was transformed by music.

On Monday 27th March 2017 the Musical Director, Amba Tremain, ran a Music Leader workshop for staff and volunteers from The Urban Vocal Group. The workshop covered many important topics involved with running a music session with young people; the room was full with potential tutors, volunteers and current UVG staff members. 

Mavericks is a project that bridges feuding communities through music. 

Across the local areas there have been escalating tensions over territory and rivalry between different groups. Mavericks shows the path to a bigger picture, a better perspective. Going to prison for a postcode or a rift on social media is the biggest waste of a life. 

The project has brought everyone together to celebrate their individual talents and show how people from different areas can put aside their differences, make peace and collaborate to make great things happen.