by Author Lottie Brook

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Remarkable Musical Theatre

This summer, Music4U gave opportunities for 30 young people, aged 8 to 17, to participate in musical theatre workshops and performances with Remarkable Theatre Company in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

Music4U

Music4U is a key strand within the National Centre for Early Music's creative learning and participation programme, which seeks to build a more musically inclusive England. Music4U reaches across York, Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire and provides musical engagement and development opportunities for young people aged 0-25, particularly targeting those whose life circumstances make it difficult for them to otherwise access musical learning. The current Music4U project has developed from fourteen years of experience as a Youth Music Action Zone and subsequently a Musical Inclusion provider.

Musical Theatre project overview:

This summer, Music4U gave opportunities for 30 young people, aged 8 to 17, to participate in musical theatre workshops and performances with Remarkable Theatre Company in Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Twelve 2-hour sessions took place over two weeks – six with the full ensemble, and six with more intensive small groups – based around learning skills associated with musical theatre, including vocal techniques, performance skills and a wide array of repertoire (20 songs in total). Every young person had chance to act and sing in an ensemble and all were offered the opportunity to perform a vocal solo (which 27 of the 30 participants took up). For around half the participants it was the first time they had been involved in a musical theatre project and for most of those it was their first time participating in a live performance.  Two sell-out performances took place at the end of the project in a professional theatre venue.

Key outcomes: 

There were two key outcomes at the heart of this project:

  • to improve the musical skills and knowledge of young people living in challenging circumstances;
  • to develop self-efficacy (particularly confidence, communication and team-working skills) in young people living in challenging circumstances, through musical engagement.

Tackling challenging circumstances:

  • Bridlington is a key area of economic deprivation and there are many young people from low income families, for whom cost can often be a barrier to participation in musical (and other) activity. Remarkable Theatre Company offered a “no-fee” policy that ensured those who could not afford to pay for sessions were not excluded. Music leader Mark Howley reported that this encouraged “a wide socio-economic mix, with children coming together from different backgrounds.” Mark also reported that keeping performance ticket prices low “ensured a good mix in the audience, with no family being ‘out-priced’ from attending.”
  • Bridlington is also a key town in an area of coastal and rural isolation and this project was active in recruiting not only from within Bridlington but in the surrounding towns and villages, where access to musical activity such as this is limited. Young people were supported in attending from further afield and one young person committed to a 40-minute commute to attend the sessions. She has said she is “really keen to come back and do future work, as it’s really worth it.”
  • Several of the young people on the project were referred directly by Family Services, as it was thought the activity would be beneficial, socially as well as educationally.

Developing musical skills:

  • Participants have learnt a wide array of musical skills in the project: the basics of ensemble singing (pitch, breathing and phrasing), solo performance, using accents, projection, using head and chest voice and belt where appropriate, dynamic colour and variety, the use of different vocal tones, and the use of appropriate emotion. Acting skills have also been developed in the Musical Theatre context.
  • Young people’s knowledge of repertoire has expanded through the project. Although all the music was from established musicals, the genres and styles encompassed was vast – from the faux-opera style of Les Miserables to the 60's pop of Hairspray, and much in between. One participant commented on how much the project gave them “the chance to explore new songs and ways of singing them”.
  • Young people have also had the opportunity to engage with formal qualifications as part of this project. Arts Awards Advisor and community musician Dave Watts regularly visited the project and supported 10 of the young people to develop their Arts Award portfolios, based around the musical theatre work being done in sessions.

Developing self-efficacy:

  • The project particularly sought to give young people the opportunity to reflect on themselves and to connect with others around them, improving confidence, communication and team-working skills. As music leader Mark notes, “the cathartic nature of singing is well known and we were keen to encourage a connection with both the lyrics and feel of the music we used. The confidence gained by the participants has been plain to see.”
  • Remarkable Music Theatre practitioners have also reported that “many of the participants came not knowing anyone and have struck up friendships. Some of the children initially had slight issues socially, but all have ultimately fitted in well with the group, and the support the members have given each other has been very heart-warming.”
  • The young musicians themselves have also reported feeling great changes in their self-efficacy, telling us that the project: “really boosted my confidence”; “pulled me out of my shell”; “gave me chance to build relationships with people I didn’t know beforehand”; and “helped me be more tolerant with other people when they are struggling.”

Legacy – what next?

All participants expressed that they really enjoyed the project and want to continue their musical learning, some in musical theatre and others in broader genres. Many have signed up to continue singing lessons with Remarkable Theatre Company’s vocal coaches, while others have put their names down for future musical projects with Remarkable. The feedback from parents has been particularly strong and there is a keen drive to continue supporting young people to engage with and develop their music-making, beyond this intensive two-week project.

Have you done similar work in areas of rural or coastal deprivation? What has your learning been? How have you supported young people beyond their initial interest to pursue further learning and professional goals?