Soundtracks: Some reflections from an emerging music leader.

Soundtracks is a Youth Music funded project which is developing access to music making in youth centres across Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen. One strand of the Bolton Music Service programme is to support young, emerging music leaders to develop their experience delivery experience in sessions and to reflect on the impact they have.

The weekly sessions typically include a lot of band work and are delivered by experienced music leaders. We are aware though, that vocalists sometimes don’t get the specialist support they need. One of our trainee music leaders, a vocal specialist, has recently been working in weekly music sessions in a youth centre setting with a particular focus on supporting two young female vocalists and shares some of her reflections on the impact of her work with these young people:

‘We have been working on Alysia’s tuning and performance over recent weeks which has improved due to us looking at posture and breathing. When singing with her more experience friend, however, some insecurities re- emerge. To support Alysia, I have worked at ‘rebooting’ the songs they will be performing in the near future with echoes and harmonies. This means both girls are approaching the performance from a new angle, as equals, and supporting each other in the harder musical arrangements, unlike when they both sang easier melody lines alongside each other.

The experience of working in this youth centre has made me realise that there are things to consider with some young people that I would never have worried about in learning vocals myself. In part this is to do with a lack of confidence and a shyness with the music, but there is also a tendency for young people to be confrontational in some learning situations as a defence to personal insecurities. Having the opportunity to take part in these sessions with experienced music leaders to learn from and discuss these more difficult moments has been very helpful in the last few months.

Another member of the same group who has been a ‘closed book’ previously and stuck to playing keyboard, enjoyed a Green Day song we were jamming. With some encouragement he joined in with me and the other two vocalists acoustically, just to sing out loud for the first time in front of others. He then went on to sing a verse on his own with the band, and I think we are looking at another vocalist!  I thought it might be daunting to do one on one work or give any feedback to this person straight away, but it is definitely something we are working towards. He is an individual, very intelligent with strong, developed opinions about all sorts, especially music, but also seems anxious musically and after months of being in the group seems to be opening up much more than previously.

This group dynamic is so unique and not like anything I’ve experienced before. Although you can have a plan for the session, you really need to cater to how the individuals feel that week and make sure not to push them away which, of course, is even easier to do if someone is struggling to be there for a plethora of personal reasons. In those sessions it is more important to remind them why they love music, and throw them into something new and exciting, than work on the more technical improvement.’

Names of young people have been changed.