Going for bronze!
It's Day 2 of our Youth Music Fund A project, The Sound of Bronze, and we're feeling suitably excited about what is to come. So... what IS to come?
The Sound of Bronze is a two-year programme, which seeks to increase awareness of and access to Gamelan Sekar Petak (the set of Javanese instruments housed at the University of York) and other regional gamelan sets. If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting one yet, a gamelan is a collection of bronze gongs and metallophones (sometimes joined by string and wind instruments), originating in Indonesia but now popular all around the world.
Gamelan can be instantly accessible, even to those who have never played an instrument before, and there is always scope to delve deeper, so advanced musicians tend to find themselves captivated by it too. It is very much a 'team sport', requiring many players to work together to create an overall ensemble sound, so can be a great way of building interpersonal skills and group cohesion. It has also been described as a therapeutic musical experience, both in terms of its resonant sound-world and the physical movement required to play it. The above video (made by our friends at Music4U) nicely sums up gamelan and, indeed, the benefits of playing it!
We want to increase access to playing opportunities for young people in and around York, especially those who face barriers to musical learning (for example, special educational needs, financial disadvantage and geographical isolation). We will be offering taster sessions around the city to raise awareness of the instruments and will work with the wonderful York Music Hub and York Concerts to create more regular playing and performance opportunities for those who want to take their gamelan further! Plus, we will be developing residencies in rural areas, starting with a project in coastal Withernsea in March 2019 in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire Council. We are also working to improve the practice of music leading professionals by creating a programme of CPD, encompassing training days, on-the-job mentoring, and continuation of the Northern Gamelan Network (which began life as a Music4U project). So, a busy few years ahead!
If you are interested in getting involved in the CPD, or if you work with a group of young people who would benefit from one of our taster sessions, or if you are a gamelan player, or if you just want to have a chat about gamelan and education, Gamelan Sekar Petak's Director, Emily Crossland, would love to hear from you!
The Sound of Bronze is made possible due to the generosity of Youth Music, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the University of York's alumni and friends (via YuFund).