Reflections on our In Harmony programme so far...
Venezuela’s El Sistema offers a tested model, with over 30 years’ experience, of how a music programme can both create great musicians and dramatically change the life trajectory of hundreds of thousands of a nation’s neediest young people.
Our In Harmony programme in Telford and Stoke on Trent is currently made up of:-
• 770 pupils, their teachers and families receiving musical tuition, • two primary schools, one in Telford and one in Stoke on Trent, • two orchestras, CBSO and Manchester Camerata, • two music services and two Music Education Hubs, • 26 strong In Harmony delivery team made up of members from both orchestras and both music services working in both schools as one delivery team.
Venezuela’s El Sistema offers a tested model, with over 30 years’ experience, of how a music programme can both create great musicians and dramatically change the life trajectory of hundreds of thousands of a nation’s neediest young people.
El Sistema aims to be a social programme reaching young people whose objectives are achieved through high quality musical excellence. The Inter-American Development Bank estimates that for every $1 the Venezuelan government invests into El Sistema, the Venezuelan economy is reaping $1.68. El Sistema’s mission is not to create professional musicians, but: “To systematize music education and to promote the collective practice of music through symphony orchestras and choruses in order to help children and young people in achieving their full potential and acquiring values that favour their growth and have a positive impact on their lives in society.”
Many children begin attending their local El Sistema “nucleo,” as early as age 2 or 3, with the vast majority continuing well into their teens; attending up to six days a week, three to four hours a day, plus retreats and intensive workshops. Participation is free for all students. The country now has over 60 children’s orchestras, almost 200 youth orchestras, 30 professional adult orchestras and dozens of choruses
El Sistema Ingredients within our In Harmony programme
Immersion in ensembles The ensemble is the centre of everything. El Sistema’s approach to music education emphasizes intensive ensemble participation from the earliest stages, group learning, peer teaching and a commitment to keeping the joy and fun of musical learning and music making ever-present. There is a high level of integration of the whole system. On the smaller scale all sessions support each other, with early years and ‘induction’ classes seeding skills needed later. There are no unrelated games or activities just because teachers feel like doing it. The backbone of El Sistema training is preparation for participation in orchestral ensembles, which are the soul of the nucleo community and culture. Of equal importance are choral singing and various other ensembles, which adapt well to a diversity of musical genres and origins. All of the musical curriculum starts with simple arrangements of big pieces with big sound.
These masterworks are often reintroduced as the children progress through the system, the core of the teaching approach is:- • listen to the piece / melody • then sing the piece / melody to internalise the music, • then actively listen to the piece again, • to play the piece by ear, • then notate the piece.
Children of preschool age begin with work on body expressiveness and rhythm. Encouraging the children to keep their bodies active while playing (without losing technique) is a key feature of the program in later years. The Paper Orchestra is the student’s first encounter with both their instrument and participation in a performing ensemble making and caring for their own first instrument. The Paper Orchestra serves as an important pedagogical tool for introducing young learners to the orchestra. The experience is also a way to engage the community from the very beginning of a program: families collectively build paper instruments, and students learn how to respect and care for them before receiving real instruments. Within this orchestra, students learn that the instrument is a part of them, and they are able to understand that they are part of something larger.
Within El Sistema at the age of 5, children pick up their first instruments, starting with strings, the recorder and percussion. They also join a choir in order to build community through ensemble work. By age 7, all students can pick their first string or wind instrument. Pupils can change instruments but are not encouraged to do so frivolously.
Access and Quality Through out a child’s musical journey there is the highest possible quality and excellence especially for those who live in deprived areas – highest possible quality experience no matter your background made available through a pyramid of ensembles each increasing standards with high expectations and standards to aim for, for all no matter your background. It is very much about aspiration through high musical achievement supported by the role models from within and a network that demonstrates high standards are possible for all students.
Each member of our In Harmony delivery team has a reflective planning journal and from this coming summer term a joint shared online planning tool. The question for us is how we can build on this approach of access and quality, building on the OFSTED music framework, Artsmark, the aspirations behind the National Plan for Music Education and also the research and the new 7 quality principles from Arts Council England for working and for children and young people through the arts. We have from day one built in the new Arts Award Discover and Explore awards as part of our In Harmony programme to help further provide an opportunity to celebrate and recognise our pupil’s successes.
Peer to Peer Mentors Use of structured pupil mentors and young leaders – peer to peer learning and leading is used throughout El Sistema. The majority of El Sistema teachers and nucleo leaders are former students of the program. In Venezuela it is the musicians that have come through El Sistema that teach for El Sistema and indeed are the musicians who fill the top orchestras of the country. They understand both the social and musical mission of the program — they nurture both the individual person and the musician at the same time. The nucleo leaders take on multiple roles within their nucleos as citizen, artist, teacher and scholar. (CATS)
As an In Harmony programme we are currently building into our programme peer mentors from our local secondary schools to work alongside our In Harmony pupils building on our work with Musical Bridges /KS2/KS3 work and also looking at offering our secondary pupils to use the mentoring role towards their Arts Award qualification. We also have currently a young person undertaking their government funded level 2 Community Arts apprenticeship as part of our In Harmony programme supporting the project management team plus we have 4 student apprenticeships from the Birmingham Conservatoire working alongside our In Harmony delivery team in the delivery of our sessions as part of their MA course.
Regular performances Students play in front of audiences as much as possible with regular end of term performances, cluster performances and large scale performances such as the Albert Hall or Symphony Hall. This reduces the pressure of formal performance, and allows performing to become a natural part of their musical life. Students frequently watch their fellow students perform, allowing them to both see and be inspired by the accomplishments of their peers. From a young age, the students are exposed to the variety of orchestras within the system, from the lowest level to the internationally successful Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra.
We also provide access to both our In Harmony schools and our Music Education Hub First Access schools to the excellent Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall which streams in Berlin Phil concerts 'on demand' and their education concerts to further support learning within our programme and to expose our pupils to a wider choice of repertoire.
Considerations for us going forward as an In Harmony programme
• We need to consider in England how we integrate / join up our First Access provision, Youth Music funded provision, National Youth Orchestras, current and future Music Education Hub provision and our In Harmony programmes, so that First Access provides a high quality universal first access for all young people and In Harmony then provides a proper, sustained, high quality and intensive progression route in inner city and other deprived areas as one of the progression routes a child can engage with as part of their musical journey.
• We are currently developing a shared online In Harmony curriculum that enables teachers and musicians to plan together across geographical areas. How do we further join up school’s and Music Service’s curriculum planning, the new music curriculum and Music Education Hub provision such as after school ensemble provision, First Access and small group music lessons, how do we achieve coherence like El Sistema has within our own music education provision?
• How we support the transition and progression of our year 6 In Harmony pupils into KS3 and year 7 building on the Musical Bridges work, summer schools and our Music Education Hubs?
• As we look to post 2015, how can we bring our In Harmony programmes much closer to our Music Education Hub provision, how do we develop a sustainable model that allows us to role out In Harmony further into more settings and to reach more young people. How do we build a robust combined evidence base for this work, building on the Inter Bank of America’s impact study of El Sistema, the Liverpool In Harmony Research Network and the national evaluation of the six In Harmony areas by Arts Council England.
Ian Thomas
Chair Telford & Wrekin Music Education Hub