Zone magazine issue 20: December 2010

zone

In Colour

Connected to Music

A Day in the Life

Inspiring Change

Q&A

BIG Music

we

b &

mo

bile

december 2010 / digital issue 20

Singing in the Gorbals

Listen up!There will be minor modifications to ABRSM aural tests from January2011. Full details can be found atwww.abrsm.org/aural.

New books of Specimen Aural Tests to support teachers and students are now available, with optional CDs for students to use to practise at home.

Ask your local music shop or visit www.abrsm.org/shop.

3zone magazine digital edition 20 / december 2010 © zone new media 2010 / www.zonemag.net

zone

Connected to Music Jan Ford reports on a dynamic orchestral

music partnership project

p5

Givin’ it LaldieGetting the Gorbals singing

p9

A Day in the LifeJazz and afternoon tea with Kai Hoffman

p12

Inspiring Change A NYCoS partnership project in Polmont Young Offenders Institution

p15

Q&ASession singing with a difference at Abbey Road Studios

p17

BIG MusicKim Edgar reports from Broomhouse in Edinburgh

p18

we

b &

mo

bile

december 2010 / digital issue 20

zonezonedigital edition 20 December 2010

Editor

Cathy Tozer

Contributors

Shelly Coyne

Kim Edgar

Jan Ford

Kai Hoffman

Carol Laula

Publisher

Ian Clethero

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4 zone magazine digital edition 20 / dec 2010 © zone new media 2010 www.zonemag.net

Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves!

It’s coincidence that all of the articles in

this edition of Zone magazine are written

by women yet what a happy coincidence –

and what a varied and inspiring collection

of women!

From 12-year-old Amber who tells us about

her experience of session singing at Abbey

Road Studios (p17) to jazz singer Kai

Hoffman who reports on the pleasures and

pitfalls of presenting a concert for Music in

Hospitals (p12); from the three community

musicians – Shelly Coyne (p9), Kim Edgar

(p18) and Carol Laula (p15) – reflecting on

their work in community settings in

Scotland to Jan Ford, Partnership Manager

for Orchestras Live, reporting on

Northamptonshire’s Connected to Music

project (p5), these women represent an

intriguing cross-section of those working at

the forefront of music and music education

in the UK today.

Less of a coincidence is the fact that three

of our contributors are living and working in

Scotland. musiclearninglive!, Zone’s

national festival of music education, will

take place in Scotland for the first time in

March 2011 and we have consciously

chosen to put the spotlight on Scottish

music education in the lead up to this major

event. Presented in partnership with

Creative Scotland and sponsored by GAK

Education, musiclearninglive!2011 will bring

together music educators from all over the

world for two days of

learning, networking,

showcasing,

performing and

debating at the Royal

Scottish Academy of

Music and Drama in

Glasgow on 3 & 4

March 2011.

Shelly Coyne (who was so inspired by

musiclearninglive!2008 that she retrained as

a community musician!) will be presenting

a case study on her Gorbals-based project,

Givin’ it Laldie, while Carol Laula will lead a

session on songwriting. Other conference

highlights include keynotes from Andrew

Dixon, Chief Executive of Creative Scotland

and Dr László Nemes, Director of the

Kodály Institute in Hungary as well as case

study presentations by Sistema Scotland

and In Harmony Lambeth, a whole Digital

Learning strand and a concert for

delegates by Scots Singer of the Year

2008/9, Emily Smith.

If you can get there, do but in the

meantime, we hope you enjoy these

fascinating contributions from our six

women musicians and educators. Happy

reading!

Cathy Tozer

Editor

Conference information and registration

musiclearninglive2011.com

modelled explicitly on particular pedagogy, it has

nevertheless achieved outstanding outcomes in the

area of personalised learning as young people have

been engaged throughout as co-partners in the

learning process.

Jane Hargrave, peripatetic music teacher for NMPAS

and Director of Daventry Music Centre has observed

the rapid development of the new string players.

‘Working in small groups to create music that is their

own and not from a book or written notation seems

to have a profound impact on the children. The

groups have a stake in the music they perform as it

has been created by them. There is an immediate


Orchestras Live: Connected to Music

It seems like only yesterday that Orchestras Live and its partners in

Northamptonshire got the go-ahead by the then DCSF, now DfE, to launch

Connected to Music, one of five Music Partnership projects. Jan Ford, Partnership

Manager for Orchestras Live, the lead partner, reflects on a project that has had a

profound impact on all those involved.

It all started in October 2009 when we hosted the

launch event for Daventry schools at

Northampton’s Royal & Derngate. Since then,

there have been over 69 creative sessions in

schools involving 250 pupils who have worked with

111 professional musicians, played 28 different

instruments and performed three concerts

attended by over 3,000 people. That’s a lot of

musical creativity and a massive logistical

achievement.

Built on the foundations of a strong existing

partnership with Northamptonshire County Council,

Royal & Derngate, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

and sinfonia ViVA, the project set out to develop a

new model of music learning in seven Daventry

schools that would connect listening, composing

and performing in schools linking the KS2 and KS3

music curriculum, providing a real connection

between Primary and Secondary music teaching.

Uniquely, the project has been delivered by a

Creative Ensemble made up of music and non-

music specialist classroom teachers, Advanced

Skills teachers, peripatetic music teachers from

Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts

Service, professional orchestral musicians from the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sinfonia ViVA and

two post-16 musicians from the Daventry area – all

led by Creative Director Tim Steiner. Whilst not

Connection, the celebration concert which took place at Royal & Derngate on 25 May 2010. Photo credit – Bob Fielding

6 zone magazine digital edition 20 / dec 2010 © zone new media 2010 / www.zonemag.net

share many exciting performances both in schools

and at Royal & Derngate.’

Rigorous evaluation has been built into the project

from the outset with a focus on the formative rather

the more usual summative research. Our research

partner, Dr Ross Prior at the University of

Northampton, has helped us to collect a wide range

of material using a range of methodologies and not

just the usual questionnaires. Extensive use of mini-

digital cameras and audio recorders has been used

to track progress and all Creative Ensemble

members have kept a reflective journal which has

reduced the reliance on summative research.

Reactions and learning are recorded as they

happen rather than having to wait until the end of

the project where the spontaneity is often lost.

There have been many unexpected as well as

planned outcomes. We have reached and, in many

cases, exceeded our targets. Over 3,500 children

experienced live orchestral music for the first time

and 60 children as well as some of their teachers

have taken up a musical instrument. Participants

have expanded their musical knowledge, listening

skills and attended concerts for the first time; proud

parents enthuse about their child’s performance

and professional musicians are reappraising their

professional practice - proof that Connected to Music

has enriched and, in some cases, changed lives.

Despite uncertain times, the Connected to Music

partnership is set to continue. Two after-school

Connected to Music clubs began in September,

initially in the Secondary schools for the new Year

7s who were involved in this year’s project then,

after half-term, open to Year 6s from the feeder

schools to join. The Daventry Music Centre hopes

to build a 40-minute weekly session into

the Saturday morning timetable called

Connected 2 Music. Musicians from the

Music Service as well as talented young

musicians from the area will lead these

sessions with occasional interventions

from Tim and RPO/ViVA musicians.

The development of a digital music

resource for use in all schools is well

underway and is being led by one of the

Creative Ensemble members. The aim is

to enable Primary school teachers across

the County to use Connected to Music

learning techniques to deliver the KS2

music entitlement. It will provide music and non-

music specialists in Primary schools with a range of

material to guide and enhance music making in the

classroom and will be supported by training by the

County Council and through the ongoing relationship

with the partners.

Henry Little, Orchestras Live’s Chief Executive,

believes the project is a clear illustration of what an

effective partnership can achieve and what

Orchestras Live is all about. ‘Every Connected to

Music partner has generously contributed their

skills, knowledge and resources to create

something that is truly greater than the sum of its

parts, possibly something as significant as a new

model of music education has emerged which is

very exciting. Despite the current difficult financial

conditions, we are determined to sustain the work

in Northamptonshire, linking venues, professional

orchestras and educators to deliver high-quality

music experiences for young people.’

For further information about the project, visit the website

at www.orchestraslive.org.uk/connectedtomusic

connection with the music which has increased

their motivation to improve and perfect it for

performance.’

The programme has included training sessions

every month for Creative Ensemble members and

regular visits to five Primary and two Secondary

schools in Daventry as well as sessions

with young people who attend the

Daventry Music Centre on a Saturday.

In March 2010, there was an opportunity

to see the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

at the Get Connected schools’ concert at

Royal & Derngate. Over 3,400 children

and young people from across

Northamptonshire attended the two

performances presented by Tim Steiner

and conducted by Patrick Bailey.

The celebration event, Connection, which

took place in May 2010 at Royal &

Derngate with sinfonia ViVA, was an

inspirational milestone in the project’s development,

providing the springboard for the next phase where

classroom and peripatetic teachers took over

leadership of the creative programme from Tim

Steiner and musicians from the RPO and sinfonia

ViVA.

The concert – featuring young musicians’ compositions

inspired by Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Manuel de

Falla’s El Amor Brujo and orchestrated by Tim – was

carefully woven into a stunning programme which

featured sinfonia ViVA and musicians from the RPO

conducted by Stuart Stratford and Daventry-born mezzo

soprano Kim-Marie Woodhouse.

Hilary Miles, Advanced Skills Teacher and Creative

Ensemble member, has found working alongside

professional musicians inspirational. ‘Hearing a

child say that they want to play an instrument

makes it all worthwhile. I have seen a change in

behaviour, concentration, listening skills and

general musicianship from all the children that I

have worked with and have been lucky enough to

Lyn Stowe from Southbrook Junior School

‘Hearing a child say that they want to play

an instrument makes it all worthwhile’


Tim Steiner gets the audience going at the Get Connected schools’ concert on 2 March 2010. Photo credit – Alex Soulsby


‘I loved the beautiful, unexpected pieces of art dotted around, including my favourite, The

Gorbals Boys, a sculpture based on an original photo taken in 1963’

The

Gorb

als

Boy

9zone magazine digital edition 01 / mar 2010 © zone new media 2010

tolerating poor physical and mental health, high

levels of addictions, poverty, unemployment and

social isolation. A Community Profile created by

Faith in Community Scotland’s Transformation

Team (2002) reveals that nearly a third of all

Gorbals children grow up in workless households

with over half living with single parents. The

number of people said to be ‘income deprived’ is

178% above the national average and

overcrowding is still evident in over a quarter of

households. The local picture for health and

crime is equally negative; a quarter of residents

describe their health as ‘not good’, life

expectancy for men is 12 years below the

national average and violent crime is prevalent

and nearly three times above the Scottish

average.

Givin’ it Laldie is the inspiration of a group of

ministers and worshippers at Gorbals Church of

Scotland parish in response to issues for

residents in the local area. The Glasgow

expression refers to a state of great high spirits

brought about by putting a huge amount of effort

into something, often singing. Givin’ it Laldie is a

Community Music project with a focus on singing,

designed to address those needs of the local

Before moving to Scotland earlier this year,

I was offered a wealth of opinions on what

to expect when I started work in the

Gorbals. The Glasgow taxi driver at my interview

dismissed it as ‘a dump’, an Edinburgh Estate

Agent warned me that I would not be safe walking

or cycling through the area alone and that unless

I was wearing a track suit, I would be pelted with

eggs and, finally, a Scottish colleague in my

previous job informed me that I would get on well

enough as long as I did not mention football or

religion or wear anything green (Celtic), blue

(Rangers) or orange!

With the internet full of tales from the not-too-

distant past of overcrowding and violence, I was

more than a little intrigued to find out what the

Gorbals was really all about and why the Church

of Scotland had seen fit to create the post of

a full-time Community Musician to serve the

local area.

Arriving in the Gorbals and driving around the

streets, I was struck by how clean and modern

much of the area known as New Gorbals

appeared. The roads were broad and light with

new, spacious and well-cared-for flats and

attractive landscaped parks. I loved the beautiful,

unexpected pieces of art dotted around, including

my favourite, The Gorbals Boys, a sculpture

based on an original photo taken in 1963. The

three life-sized figures cast in bronze and chrome

humorously depict little boys trying on their

mums’ big, silver high-heeled shoes which light

up at night. Despite having read about and

studied maps of the Gorbals, I had failed to really

consider how close the area was to the city

centre – only separated by the bridges over the

Clyde – or how cosmopolitan and vibrant it must

be, housing the city mosque, a nautical college

and a repertory theatre.

Despite all this, there is, however, no escaping the

harsh reality that the Gorbals is one of the most

deprived areas of Scotland with many residents,

including high numbers of asylum seekers,


community brought about by poverty, deprivation

and poor health. The programme seeks to use

music to help create opportunities for greater

social cohesion and integration, to raise self-

confidence and self-esteem and help address the

very real and recognisable divisions brought

about by sectarianism.

Givin’ It Laldie: a Community Musician in the Gorbals

In May 2010, community musician Shelly Coyne moved to Glasgow to set up a cross-

community music project. Here she talks about the first few months of this challenging and

inspiring programme.

Shelly Coyne

Children from St Francis Primary School & Blackfriars Primary School singing at a joint concert

‘The impact of music and singing across

a diverse and, at times, challenging

community really has no limits’

importantly, the local residents, including school

children and teenagers, have been enthusiastic

about both joining and helping to support all the

groups that have been set up.

The first two groups to be launched in September

2010 were the Gorbals Children’s Choir and the

Gorbals Community Choir. The children’s choir is

a cross-school collaboration which brings

together children from the adjacent Catholic and

non-denominational schools – a rare event in the

Gorbals. The choir has to alternate its rehearsals

between the two schools in order to not appear

to be favouring one group over the other and this

is proving a success, with numbers from both

schools remaining high and singers committed to

working towards their first performances.

The community choir, which meets weekly in the

community centre, is a night not to be missed for

those involved! The characters that make up the

choir could not come from more diverse

backgrounds and the tea and biscuit break sees

children, asylum seekers, students, Gorbals

residents (both those from older families and

newer residents) and those that work in the local

area, chatting, laughing and making plans for the

future of the group. The relaxed and positive

atmosphere is attracting singers from out of the

area, sending out a positive image of the Gorbals

across the wider community.

The Sing for Health group which has just started

in Gorbals Leisure Centre is a fairly unique

initiative. The session focuses on the health

benefits of participating in regular group singing

and is strongly endorsed and supported by South

East Glasgow Community Health and Care

Partnership and local GPs who are already

making referrals to the group.

It has been set up in response to research that

supports the principle that group singing can

have a positive effect on mental health issues,

including depression, and can help raise self-

esteem and encourage a positive self-image.

Singing can also help address physical health

issues; it may improve sleep, aid breathing

problems, increase stamina and reduce pain.

The Sing for Health group is generating a lot of

interest from professionals across Glasgow and

it is hoped that it could be rolled out more widely

across the region.

The beauty and uniqueness of this Community

Musician post, where the work is intense and

localised, is the opportunity it affords me to work

across such a wide spectrum of the community

and with all age groups. It is possible that I will

lead singing with many hundreds of people

across a week and these might include mums

and toddlers, school children in the area, young

people at the youth clubs, music students,

refugee groups, those in nearby hostels and

adults in addiction recovery.

The more time spent in the Gorbals, the more it

is clear the positive impact the project is having

and how much more Givin’ it Laldie could be


One of the many concerns I had before beginning

this post was that it would take some

considerable time to become accepted into the

community and then it would be a slow process

convincing people to come and sing and get

involved. Neither has proved to be the case. The

congregation of Gorbals Church, the many

agencies operating in the area and, most

Shelly Coyne will make a presentation on

the Givin’ it Laldie project to delegates at

musiclearninglive!2011, the National

Festival of Music Education, 3 & 4 March

2011 at the Royal Scottish Academy of

Music and Drama, Glasgow.

Groups from Givin’ it Laldie will also be

performing.

www.musiclearningive2011.com

Young women singing with Shelly at the Playbarn Youth Club

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Shelly Coyne

[email protected]

07728 323636

www.givinitlaldie.org.uk

Nicola Killean, Sistema Scotland Director

achieving. As the only person delivering the

project as well as managing the programmes,

there are constantly challenging decisions that

have to be made as to how my time should be

spent efficiently and effectively.

The role of volunteers and music students

conducting placements in the area opens up

greater possibilities and brings a constantly

changing colour to the project. The exceptional

Community Music students from Glasgow’s Royal

Scottish Academy of Music and Drama who are

involved in placements in the Primary schools in the

Gorbals are a welcome asset and it is hoped that

this relationship can be sustained in the long term.

Givin’ it Laldie is a unique and inspiring project

where the impact of music and singing across a

diverse and, at times, challenging community

really has no limits. Although still in its infancy, it

continues to make a significant mark on the lives

of residents living in the Gorbals and is becoming

recognised across the city. It is set to run for

three years, funding-dependent, but the vision is

that the programme proves to be invaluable and

is still growing beyond 2013. The Gorbals is a


place full of pride and energy and well known for

its friendliness. I am privileged to have been

welcomed so warmly into the community and

want to extend this openness to others who wish

to come and visit Givin’ it Laldie or get involved

in the programme.

absolutely love food but at the moment seem to rarely

have time to think about it much!) then I begin to focus

on the afternoon’s concert.

12.30 Starting to pack for the concert. As a singer, I

often have a whole selection of items I need to bring

along for each performance – from make-up and

dresses to my own amplification and microphones.

The amount of kit I need to take along varies from

venue to venue – sometimes, it feels rather like

moving house every time I go to work (especially when

I’m wearing my ‘bandleader’ hat and have the

equipment for an entire six-piece band)! For my

work today with Music in Hospitals and Central

and Cecil Housing Trust, I’ll be performing with

my trio (with piano and double bass) in a local hall

where I will need to bring my own small PA and a

microphone. I’ve already rung up the venue and have

A Day in the Life of... Kai Hoffman

5 May 2010 – a Music in Hospitals Concert for Central and Cecil Housing Trust

London-based American jazz singer, Kai Hoffman on jazz, early mornings and a tea dance

with a difference!

9:00 Reluctantly wake up…

9:15 Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee! A quick shower,

quick make-up and off into Soho for a meeting. As a

jazz singer, I keep late hours so anything before 12

noon feels like the middle of the night. However, with a

really busy schedule, I often survive on less sleep than

I’d like - as is, I’m sure, the case for most busy people!

10.30 I head into Soho on the tube, running late as

usual, earphones in place, learning the songs which

I’ll be singing later on in the day for my upcoming

Music in Hospitals concert and also for the project

which I’m heading into town to discuss.

11:00 Meeting with Ray Gelato, my new duet partner,

to discuss our brand new show, ‘Hey Boy, Hey Girl’

which will be premiering at

Ronnie Scott’s Club. More

coffee!

12:00 Head back

home - a quick lunch

of Whatever I Can

Find in the

Cupboard (I


been assured that there is a piano on site - so I just

need to get out the door!

13.30 Back on the tube - this time with my little amp,

concert clothes, make-up and music! I’ve brought

along a cheery spring dress as the weather is a bit

overcast – a nice bright red polka dot 1950s-style

number with a full skirt. In the last couple of years, I’ve

been incredibly lucky to be sponsored by the fantastic,

UK-based, vintage-inspired clothing company Vivien

of Holloway. I absolutely love wearing Vivien’s dresses;

they look fantastic on stage and, for my Music in

Hospitals concerts, I’ve found that the right dress

really helps create an atmosphere for the elderly

residents I meet. Often ladies comment that they had

a similar style dress when they were younger. I love

that kind of connection.

14.15 I arrive at Swiss Cottage tube, dig around for

my iPhone which (very, very handily in my profession)

has a built-in map feature and try to orient myself. As

I’m walking across the square, my piano player Pete

sees me and says hello! This is a relief as it means

he’s already found the venue and he takes me there.

Marvellous.

Kai Hoffman’s band, Kai’s Cats, has been resident at

Ronnie Scott’s in Soho since 2008 and her new show, ‘Hey

Boy, Hey Girl’ with Ronnie Scott’s Best Band Winner Ray

Gelato opened on 12 September 2010. Kai’s Cats’ brand

new CD, Jump Jive and Swing, is available via

www.kaihoffman.co.uk.

14.20 Pete and I walk into the hall where we’ll be

performing. Oddly, I don’t see a piano in the room so

I ask at the front office!

14.21 Hmm. No piano! Or, in fact, I learn that there IS

a piano, it just isn’t where we need it and they can’t

move it. Hmm….

14.25My bass player Dave arrives. We discuss the lack

of piano… Dave, who happens to be a brilliant guitarist

as well, offers to perhaps play guitar… and then…

14.26 Pete rings his wife… And she sets off, with his

keyboard and a blue flashing light!

14.27 Whilst trying to maintain a sense of calm

professionalism, Dave and I set up our equipment.

Now running rather behind schedule, I disappear to

change into my lovely dress!

14.32 Still waiting for the keyboard. I chat briefly with

the lovely people from Central and Cecil and admire

the wonderful artwork which I have just noticed is

decorating the room and includes numerous,

fascinating portraits of the elderly. It’s wonderful to

14.34 The keyboard arrives! Phew. A very close call -

and an unusual situation! Anyway, I can finally breathe

again and focus on the performance. It’s hard to

concentrate when half the band doesn’t have an

instrument (this doesn’t usually happen!).

14.37 We begin to play - luckily, we’re almost on time…

As I have worked with Music in Hospitals over the last

couple of years, I have found that it’s far more effective

to be flexible with the music - not to pre-plan my

programme - instead, I like to see how the residents and

audience members react to a particular piece or style

and then choose songs as I go along. Today, Central and

Cecil have done a fantastic job of decorating tables with

flowers, cakes and artwork and some audience

members choose to listen, others choose to chat – but,

as we’re jazz musicians, we’re happy to perform either

for background music or for listening. Over the course

of the concert, I’m really pleased to see audience

members joining in and singing along – I’ve chosen

songs from the era of the Big Bands and swing music,

the 1930s and 40s, and it’s wonderful to hear that

people are relating to it and enjoying!

15.30 As our hour-long concert progresses, I try to say

hello to as many individuals as possible and to get


be a part of these performances - I love being able to

give something back to the community, doing what I

absolutely love to do - sing and entertain. The elderly

audience members and Central and Cecil staff have,

by now, all arrived. Still no keyboard…

them involved. Some audience members even begin

to dance so I add a few more of my jumpin’ jive 40s

dance tunes to the set!

15.45 As the concert draws to a close, a number of

the staff have joined in as well. It’s a fantastic

experience, seeing people having a good time - lots

and lots of smiles all round! Excellent! It means I’ve

done my job ☺.

15.47 As Pete and Dave need to rush off to their next

performances, I help them pack up quickly once the

concert finishes - and I take a moment to say hello to

some more of the audience and to enjoy, briefly, being

a part of a very special day.

Over the last couple of years with Music in Hospitals

and Central and Cecil Housing Trust, I have performed

concerts in a huge variety of venues - every one

different from the next. Sometimes, we’ll be playing

to an audience of just a few individuals in a care

home; sometimes, for over a hundred at a tea dance

but it’s always very, very rewarding work.

To see a smile on someone’s face or to catch them

singing the words along with me or even dancing -

whether it’s from a wheelchair and I’m holding their

hand or if they’re up on their feet - it’s wonderful to

sense that the audience are enjoying themselves,

relaxing and smiling.

perform to the highest standard as well as being in

possession of a wide repertoire and sensitivity which will

enable them to relate to each member of the audience,

whatever their age, illness or disability.

‘The audience found it spellbinding and delightful. One

patient actually forgot her pain and did not take her tablets.’

St Peter’s Hospice, Bristol

‘The concerts are particularly therapeutic for sick children,

reducing anxiety and clinical stress.’

Frimley Park Hospital

www.music-in-hospitals.org.uk

Central & Cecil

Central & Cecil provides housing, care and support for

vulnerable people in London, Luton, Berkshire and the

Midlands. Service users include older people, the homeless

and people with mental health support needs.

For over 20 years, Central & Cecil’s Arts & Education

department has provided a range of creative, therapeutic

and social activities for older people. The department has

worked in partnership with a range of arts organisations

including the British Film Institute and The Royal Festival

Hall. A partnership project with theatre company Ladder to

the Moon was recently broadcast on Channel 4 News as an

example of best practice in artistic therapy for people living

with dementia.

Arts & Education provide opportunities for people to engage

in new activities and share thoughts and feelings. Being

offered the opportunity to be creative and take part in

creative events is essential to personal growth and

happiness for people of any age.

Arts & Education organise regular tea dances for care home

residents, with residents enjoying live music, dancing and

an elegant afternoon tea served on beautiful china tea sets.

Tea dances are a wonderful opportunity for frail older people

living in residential care, some of whom are living with

dementia, to get dressed up and go out to a lively social

event in a bunting- and flower-filled room.

www.ccht.org.uk

Music in Hospitals

Music in Hospitals (MiH) is a charity whose mission is to

improve the quality of life of people with all kinds of illness and

disability through the joy and therapeutic benefits of live music.

Established in 1948, MiH has grown into the leading provider

of live music across the healthcare spectrum. In the region

of 5,000 concerts are presented each year to audiences of

all ages in hospitals, care homes, hospices, day care centres

and special needs schools throughout the UK. These

concerts can provide an effective diversion for those in pain,

help dementia patients to reminisce or bring laughter to a

children’s hospice.

The musicians engaged by MiH are carefully chosen by

audition and require very special qualities. They must


As a singer/songwriter, I’d been lucky enough to

meet and work with Lucinda Geoghegan through

an Early Years initiative with Scottish Book Trust.

I’d worked in prisons before so when I was approached

to take part in this project working alongside Lucinda as

part of the NYCoS (National Youth Choir of Scotland)

team (Marco Rea, Phil Gault and Fiona Hunter), I

jumped at the chance.

I knew what to expect that first day. It wasn’t so much

about what we were presenting but more about the

young guys working together, the politics, the different

personalities. Half of them weren’t even sure why they

were there – something to do with free biscuits they

thought! Once the outright disengaged guys left, we got

on with it. Some were vaguely comfortable singing in

front of guys they knew but were put off by new guys

coming into the room. It was really intense. A lot of

energy was expended just keeping things going. As soon

as there was a pause, that’s when the nonsense

started – mucking about, arguing with each other,

swearing, joking and walking out of the room! That first

day, I didn’t think we would have anybody left by the end.

My remit was getting the guys writing songs and then,

with some grounding in musicianship from other

members of the team, singing those songs in a choral

setting. The best laid plans! Actually, we did get some

songs written and the seven guys who stayed really

wanted to be a part of it. The songs were pretty

uplifting. Really tuneful – about being in prison,

missing your family, what you did to get there in the

first place and, of course, a mischievous one about

drinking in the park!

One of the very best bits was when we did a folk song

(Jock Stewart – introduced by Fiona) and all the guys

took a solo verse. I couldn’t believe it! There was no

big chat, no drama, I just signalled to them that it was

their turn – and they just did it! That was my highlight.

We ended up with three original songs as well as five

cover versions in a fantastic live performance in front

of a large and appreciative audience of family

members, other prisoners and invited guests. Just

being in that room, feeling their vibe, their natural

high – these ‘criminals’, these ‘bad boys’ – was

amazing! Later, we got to go back and give the guys a

copy of the CD of the songs that they wrote and

recorded.

Yes, it was challenging, difficult and really tough going,

and I was glad when it was over, but yet I felt it was

just the beginning, a taster project. If we had been

able to go back in about a month later, then the chat

in the halls would have been all about the outcome

and a lot more guys would have wanted to join!


NYCoS’s project is part of Motherwell College’s

Inspiring Change programme which has been

delivering high-quality arts interventions to five

Scottish prisons since the beginning of the year.

The programme uses the arts to stimulate

engagement with learning, improve literacy skills

among offenders in custody and to demonstrate

the potential of the arts to support the process of

rehabilitation.

‘And all the roads we have to walk are winding...’

Carol Laula was one of a team of music leaders from NYCoS working on a songwriting project at

Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk, Central Scotland. She reports on the highs and

lows of working in a prison setting.

Photos: Stewart Attwood, Herald & Times Group

The title of this article? It’s a line from Wonderwall by

Oasis and, much as it pains me to say it, it was the

best way of getting this particular type of young guy

singing – use a song they know, one they feel

comfortable singing along with, one they like! Perhaps

not NYCoS standard repertoire but in this situation it

was one of the keys that unlocked the potential of

these young lads.

The impact of Inspiring Change will be evaluated by a

multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the

University of Edinburgh. The programme will culminate

in an exhibition and conference on the arts in prison.

www.motherwell.ac.uk/inspiringchange

www.nycos.co.uk

www.carollaula.co.uk


Carol Laula

Carol Laula will lead a session on

songwriting at musiclearninglive!2011, the

National Festival of Music Education on 3

& 4 March 2011 at the Royal Scottish

Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow.

www.musiclearningive2011.com

Amber

Hi Amber, what was the Disney film you were

singing for?

Well, it was actually two films: ‘Despicable Me’ and

‘Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue’. We did two

three-hour sessions on different days, one at Abbey

Road and one at a studio called RAC.

Were you told the stories in advance?

Yes, we were given an outline of the story of each

film and told about the different sections we were

singing so we knew what to sound like. They also

told us where to find the ‘Despicable Me’ trailer

online. And while we were singing at Abbey Road,

we saw footage of ‘Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy

Rescue’ on a video screen.

And did you like the stories?

The first one seemed good but the second one...

hmm… I’m not really a Tinkerbell person myself!

How did you get involved? Was there an audition?

I rehearse every Saturday with the CYM choir which

has about thirty members. For the sessions, our

teacher, Linda Richardson, got together a group of

eight singers from the choir whose voices blended.

She didn’t ask me to audition because she knew

what I sounded like already.

Were you given the music and words in advance or

did you learn it when you got to the studio? How

much was there to learn? Was it easy or hard?

We learnt it when we got there. There wasn’t that

much to learn and none of it was particularly hard

as it was all on an ‘ah’ sound except for one bit in

‘Despicable Me’ which had words for backing for a

rap artist.

Was this the first time you’ve sung in a recording

studio? What did it feel like? Did you understand

how it all worked?

Yes. It felt quite amazing. They explained it to us and

gave us a tour where we met the director and

producer of the film as well as the Disney person

and the composer.

Who ran the sessions?

Linda and the composer ran the sessions. The

composer was really good.

Did you do any warm ups or games? What were

they?

We did a brief warm up. Just some scales and

exercises to loosen our jaws.

Did you like the music?

I thought the music was well written and fitted in

with the film.

Did you sing in unison or harmony? Or did you sing

on multiple tracks to create harmonies?

We sang in unison and in two and three parts. I

don’t think we did any multi-tracking.

Did you get to hear the finished result?

We listened to the end result through our cans.

It sounded quite unrealistic. I had to ask myself,

‘Is that really me singing?’ It was very child-like!

What did you enjoy most about the experience?

Just being able to go to the studios and meet all the

people and have fun. The other singers weren’t

really my friends – I knew them by sight but by the

end I’d made new friends!

Do you have singing or instrumental lessons?

Where?

I don’t have singing lessons – I’ve never really had

the time. I learn trumpet and piano at CYM.

When you grow up, do you think you’ll end up doing

this as your job?

I wholly doubt it!

Elizabeth Littlewood

I see Amber has instrumental lessons but not

singing lessons. Is there a reason for that, for

example, do you think it unwise to start training

voices too young?

She’s still quite little and she does a lot of singing in

her junior chamber choir at school so I think that’s

enough for her age.

What do you think Amber has gained from the

experience? Would you encourage her to do more

session work?

I think it’s great that Amber’s music gives her access

to opportunities that wouldn’t be possible otherwise

and while I wouldn’t push her to do more session

work, I would certainly allow it.

Is there anything about the experience that you felt

could have been better for Amber?

No, I think she really enjoyed the whole thing. Linda

Richardson is experienced so she made sure the

singers had proper breaks and drinks and were well

looked after throughout.


Q&A: Session Singing with a Difference

Ever fancied getting behind a mike at Abbey Road Studios? 12-year-old Centre for Young Musicians’

student, Amber did just that earlier this year when she and seven fellow singers from CYM’s

Saturday choir took part in a session for Disney films at the world-famous London recording studio.

Cathy Tozer spoke to Amber and her Mum, vocalist and singing teacher Elizabeth Littlewood, and

found out what it’s really like to follow in The Beatles’ footsteps!

Photo: Suzi Webb

Set up in 2002, The BIG Project is a

registered charity providing services and

support for children and young people living

in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh.

Broomhouse is one of the most deprived wards in

the city, consisting almost entirely of social

housing. It has high rates of family breakdown,

unemployment is more than double the level for

the rest of Edinburgh and the free school meals

allocation is high.

The BIG Project offers children, young people and

their families an innovative programme of personal

and social development, promoting activities and

interests not as an end in themselves but as part

of a wider developmental process to raise

aspirations, increase self-esteem and develop self-

control, thus influencing the overall quality of life

of children and young people and their community.

It achieves these aims through a range of open

access weekly clubs, special interest projects, a

football team, holiday programmes, residential

experiences and targetted work such as art

therapy and bereavement support groups.

As a self-employed singer/songwriter, I’ve enjoyed

working in partnership with The BIG Project since

2003, using music as a tool to achieve these

aims. I’ve seen first-hand the tangible, positive

impact that music can have on children and

young people’s physical, emotional and social

well-being. Over the past few years, with support

from Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative

(YMI), The BIG Project has offered free music

making opportunities which have had a big

impact on children, young people and families in

and around Broomhouse.

Our current project, The BIG Sing, reached its

culmination with a performance at the Queen’s

Hall as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2010.

Our three choirs of children and young people,

aged 5-18, sang their hearts out in a sing-a-long

show with an audience of family and friends,

funders, well-wishers and families attending the

Fringe from all over the world.

The BIG Sing-a-long! concert was enriching for all

who experienced it. During the show, the view from

where I was sitting at the grand piano was

amazing: kids full of energy and joy, the band and

conductors giving their all, and an audience of over

300 enthralled, then in stitches, standing up and

punching the air, trying complex singing/hand

games that our children and young people ran into

the audience to teach… I’ve never seen an

audience look so joyful! Their standing ovation at

the end said it all. It’s probably the best gig I’ve

ever played.

Musically, members of The BIG Sing demonstrated

how much they’ve learned over the last year: I was

impressed by improvements in pitching, phrasing,

expression and dynamics. But above and beyond

this is the improved concentration, behaviour and

communication, the increased confidence and

self-esteem and the tangible emotional well-being

we’ve all been experiencing when singing together.

It’s a privilege to do this kind of work.

After the show, several children asked, ‘Can The

BIG Sing go on Britain’s Got Talent?’ and an

audience member suggested an exchange with

her Primary class in Barcelona. Those who had

experienced the concert sensed the power and

potential in the air. There is much that we can, and

will, do. I hope that The BIG Sing members will hold

onto that. I’ll certainly keep it in my heart. It’s the

heart bit that matters to me: the connection

between our emotions and the music - and that’s

what I’d like to tell you about: how music has

opened hearts and minds over the last few years

in a small, deprived area of Edinburgh.

The BIG Tour and BIG Album Project

Our first big music making project began with

group lessons in guitar, keyboards and singing held

in the evenings at the local Primary school where

the project is based. Informal concerts to friends

and family marked the end of each block of

lessons, allowing us to share achievements in a

relaxed way. Ripples affecting the community

began: one example was a dad so impressed with

his son’s progress that he bought two guitars - one

for his son to practise on and one so that he could

start to learn himself (with help from his son).


BIG Music

Singer/songwriter Kim Edgar has been working in partnership with Edinburgh’s BIG project

since 2003. Here, she explains how music is opening hearts and minds in a small, deprived

area of the city.

The second phase consisted of weekend

songwriting workshops in three locations:

Broomhouse, West Lothian and Strontian. I led the

workshops with Lissa McIntyre, the full-time BIG

Project Youth Worker, alongside staff from our

partner projects, West Lothian Youth Action Project

and Highland Council.

The groups contained young people from right

across the social and geographical spectrum with

varying levels of musical experience and skill. We

built relationships between the groups through

‘Passports’ which the young people made about

themselves and shared with the other groups and

by recording and sharing songs as they were

written, encouraging feedback between groups

(mediated by us and also through an online

discussion forum).

Songs varied greatly in content and style: for me,

the honesty of the lyrics written by the most

deprived children from Broomhouse about real

experiences blew me away. For example: ‘Don’t put

me down, don’t put me down, I fly so high nothing

can put me down’, and ‘You never said goodbye, I

never got a chance to say I love you for the last

time’. The nine-year-old who wrote the first lyric

identifies himself strongly as a songwriter now and

frequently brings me the lyrics of new songs he’s

written. He’s often to be heard saying ‘Sorry I can’t

come, I’m busy writing songs’.

The final stage of the project was The BIG Tour: a

three-date tour with a professional band with

songwriters showcasing the songs written during

the project. We took four Music Trainees (young

people aged 14-18 with an interest in a career in

music or youth work) with us on tour, who

benefitted from getting to know music

professionals, seeing a lot of Scotland and working

with a range of young people.

Performances confounded expectations with

‘Goths’ and ‘Emos’ singing traditional Scots songs

and communities celebrating the achievements of

young people in hooded tops! Live recordings

created an album which we launched in Edinburgh

to complete the project, with the songwriters

celebrating their achievements and socialising in

person after building relationships online and

through the songs. Many connections between the

young songwriters continue through the wonders

of technology; a three-way songwriting partnership

between one Music Trainee from Broomhouse and

young people in Livingston and Strontian still

continues, with a demo recording afoot.

Filmed interviews with the young people helped us

to evaluate the project and one strong message

was the popularity of group singing. Because of

this, we decided to focus on singing for the next

project, working with more children and young

people within Broomhouse and also with their

families through sing-a-long nights - our aim being

to affect a greater level of positive change within

the community.

The BIG Sing

Over the past year, we have led three weekly choirs

for 60 children and young people aged 5-18

alongside group lessons in percussion, guitar and

keyboard and special events such as beatboxing

workshops, performances with Sangstream

Community Choir and at Leith Festival, free family

sing-a-long nights and two shows with a



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professional band: a Christmas concert and our

Queen’s Hall Fringe show.

The BIG Sing members have contributed song

suggestions, new lyrics, arrangements and

choreography. Rather than having a no phone’

policy in the clubs, we use breaks to listen to songs

on our members’ mobiles, which has helped us to

select popular songs and keep interest levels high.

We’ve relished the chance to sing uplifting songs

with positive messages like ‘Be the change you

want to see’ (Man In The Mirror) and ‘Find good

things even in hard situations’ (There’s Gold In

Them Hills) – research has shown that our brain

hears and responds to what we say or sing. We’ve

also selected songs like You Raise Me Up, which

has led to tears and members opening up, sharing

experiences of loss and bereavement with the

group. We’ve learned songs from a range of

genres – spirituals, gospel, rap, pop, rock and folk

music. Songs learned at musiclearninlive

workshops and from NYCOS, Singing Sherlock and

Sing Up resources have also proved popular.

The people that the children, young people and

their families have met through The BIG Sing have

enriched their experience: notably, the members

of Sangstream Community Choir who quickly built

up a strong rapport with our members. When

Sangstream came to Broomhouse to perform with

us, it was the first time many parents and

guardians had ever heard a choir perform or

listened to traditional Scots songs.

The Future: BIG Music

Our third YMI project, BIG Music, is about to begin

- and I can’t wait! We’ll be building on the strengths

of The BIG Sing with continued opportunities for

singing but adapting our approach based on

evaluation feedback: some members are keen to

perform and to tackle more challenging songs

while others enjoy singing without the pressure of

performance so we will be offering 40 places in

two open access singing groups for 5-12 year olds

as well as 30 places, by audition, in a performance

choir for 9-18 year olds.

Music making will also continue, using the

keyboard and guitar resources, and we’ll be adding

recorder lessons, a junk percussion orchestra and

monthly jam sessions for instrumental players of

any level. We’ll also continue to work alongside

professional musicians with two special concerts

featuring all children and young people

accompanied by a full band.

I’m at the beginning of my career as a songwriter

and as a music facilitator and I’m grateful to YMI

not just for the funding support we’ve received but

also for all I’ve learned through the way the

funding is structured and the ongoing support

given by their staff. YMI has a commitment to

professional development and evaluation and

also a pathway for 14-18 year olds to gain

experience and ultimately employment in music

or youth work through the role of the Music

Trainee. Having these priorities built into our

projects has helped us to continue to improve the

opportunities we can offer to children and young

people.

We’ll be aiming to further develop the role of our

Music Trainees and volunteers in the planning and

delivery of workshops and to involve more of the

local community through monthly singing

opportunities for adults as well as children. We’ve

seen how beneficial music making is in

Broomhouse for children, young people and their

families and we want to bring as many people

together as possible to share that feeling of well-

being – in a range of spaces and places, with a

range of partners.

If you’d like to be a part of it, please don’t hesitate

to get in touch: we’re at www.thebigproject.org.uk.

Kim Edgar

for Marie Curie Cancer Care

Sing Out

Every song you sing will support terminally ill cancer patients at Christmas

To find out more or to host your own eventCall: 08700 340 040 Email: [email protected]: www.mariecurie.org.uk/singoutCh

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Marie Curie Cancer Care provides high quality nursing, totally free, to give people with terminal cancer and other illnesses the choice of dying at home, supported by their families.

the UK National Festival of Music Education

Participating organisations/presenters & projects include Sistema Scotland – ABRSM – National Youth Choir of

Scotland – English Folk Dance and Song Society – Stephen Deazley – Live Music Now – Royal College of Music Junior

Department – Pete Moser – In Harmony Lambeth – Marc Jaffrey – students & staff from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music

and Drama – Recorder Rebels – Cyrilla Rowsell – Creative Scotland – Aileen Monaghan – Love Music Festival – Emily Smith

Givin’ it Laldie – Musicians’ Union – Yamaha – Carol Laula – Michael Harper – Music and the Deaf – Soundbeam – Drake

Music Scotland – Utterly Butterly Ukulele Company –Songschool Ireland –Sarah Thurstan – Jo Miller –Kevin Rogers –Roland

Key Supporters: Creative Scotland GAK Education

a UNESCO Creative City

Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise

Orchestra perform at mll!2011

Go on. Enjoy yourself.We’ve got an amazing line-up of presenters, speakers and performers at the

musiclearninglive!2011 conference. There is a whole range of practical, hands-on sessions

including songwriting and composing, Scottish and English folk/traditional music, music

technology in the classroom and instrumental workshops. You can even learn how to make your

own ukulele. Presentations include In Harmony Lambeth and Sistema Scotland. And there are

great networking opportunities, a concert by Emily Smith, a trade exhibition and a delegate

reception hosted by the Lord Provost of Glasgow.

Check out the website now: www.musiclearninglive2011.com.

musiclearninglive!2011March 3 & 4 at the RSAMD, Glasgow

Registration: www.musiclearninglive2011.com

Emily Smith, Scots Singer of

the Year 2008/9

performs for delegates at

the spectacular City

Chambers after a reception

for delegates hosted by the

Lord Provost of Glasgow.

She’s also leading a session

on Scots Song

Marc Jaffrey, former Music

Manifesto Champion

The government-

commissioned Henley

Review of music education

in England will be

published in the wew Year.

Marc Jaffrey gives his

response

Play the Skoog? You know

you want to

The Digital Learning strand

of mll!2011 includes a host

of hands-on sessions

including a introduction to

the amazing Skoog. And

you can build your own

recording studio

Pete Moser – The Fastest

One Man Band in the

World

The dynamic Director of

More Music Morecambe

leads a session on Creative

Composition session and

goes walkabout as a One-

Man band

Delegate fees: £360+VAT (standard)

Discounted places remaining at £270+VAT

(QUOTE StanDisc)

Primary/non-formal sector rate: £180+VAT

Hotels from £44/room/night

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Zone magazine issue 20: December 2010

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