Sharing what we do

Doing our final planning for our music leaders development day this Saturday, we are reflecting on what we do and how we do it - and of course, why we do it.
The trick is to share that usefully with other people so that they will be inspired by it all.

We like running training sessions. It's worth acknowledging that our main funders, Youth Music, support and encourage CPD within projects.
It helps define what we do as a team, and what is unique about our approach.

There's a lot of interest in musical inclusion at present. Between us we've been working in this area for plenty of years. The privilege of wide experience gives us something worthwhile to add to the conversation.

some serious listening!

Here's some feedback from our last open training day

- fundamental, free, expressive, understandable
- what a great combination of theory and practice!
- amazing - I learned a lot. I learned, what is music.
- life affirming. It opened my eyes to a different type of work
- inspiring, motivational, therapeutic

If you would like us to come to you, in whatever setting, and deliver some training, do get in touch.

Music leaders' development day - an opportunity

The AllStars team are running a FREE music leader's development day in Wells on March 18th.

This is for anyone with an interest in music leading and community music - come and learn some new ideas in a fun environment, and try some stuff out. The activities will be led by Russ Stanley, Alex Lupo and Jane Harwood.

We'll be sharing tips and ideas for good music leading, especially with groups with additional needs.You can do some leading, take notes, film, or just join in and play.


Bring a packed lunch and an instrument or your voice.

Venue : the Denning Room, Union St, Wells BA5 2PU
Date; March 18th
Time : 10.30 - 2.00

You'll need to book a place : email info@heartbeats.org.uk

searching and reflecting - a team day

Alex, Jane, Russ and Ben were off over the border to Earlswood in Monmouthshire last week for a team skill share and reflection day. Before we did any speaking we made time for some music - tuning up and tuning in.

Professional development is important to the way we work together. This was a chance to try out some new things and really concentrate on how we play together as well.

Cold enough for woolly hats..

We had lots of fun which must be a good sign!

It was an opportunity to eat cake and discuss the future  - we have lots of ideas for ways to take our work forward, so it all feels positive.

nice sunset!

One idea is to spend more time together reflecting on good practice and inspiration in music leading.... a day didn't feel long enough.

We discussed creating a resource that would help others work in the way that we do.

Keeping the skills up

Geoff with his djembe

Geoff has been a volunteer music leader and musician in residence with Count Me In since 2003.
Geoff was at our recent in-house training session with Hugh Nankivell.

'Training is part of the fun! And a new skill - fun, and interesting to be part of the workshop leader team, and meet old and new people. It's fantastic to be part of the team - my interests are about people and socializing!'

At the AllStars training session

Reflections on 'Joining In'

Thank you to our partners Spaeda, and Sound Foundation Somerset (the Somerset music hub), for putting our reflections on Joining In up on the Hub website - life affirming, indeed!

http://www.soundfoundationsomerset.org.uk/jane-harwood-reflects-on-life-affirming-training-for-inclusive-music-practitioners/

Hugh....

So excited to be spending tomorrow with the super brilliant AllStars team, and the AllStars ensemble, and fabulous Hugh Nankivell - oooh yeah.
Music will happen.

2016 : cultivating ways for working with music and growing our ideas...

On the other side of New Year we have two events coming up that will help us to cultivate our musical ideas and grow the way we work .... we should emerge inspired, informed and ready to bloom.

On January 30th our team of music leaders - Alex, Jane and Russ, are leading a music inclusion training day for our trainees, associates and other professionals. We're calling this 'Joining In' ... exactly what 'inclusion' means to us.

The following weekend, we have an 'in house' training day with music leader extraordinaire Hugh Nankivell.

What a luxury!
If you know anyone that would like to come to 'Joining In' please email for details.

Training opportunity with the AllStars team, January 30th

Joining in : exploring good practice for inclusive music

A CPD day for professionals with Count Me In.

This training day is for professionals who are looking for new ideas and ways to use music inclusively .

Join us for a creative and hands-on day in this inspiring setting to explore some different approaches to learning through music. This CPD opportunity is a day of practical exercises, playing, reflecting and discussion, led by the music leaders of the AllStars project, Alex Lupo, Jane Harwood and Russ Stanley.

We will investigate methods and techniques to fully include all children and young people with additional needs.

This training is for educators (mainstream and SEN), SENCOs, teaching assistants, musicians, music leaders and practitioners working in non formal settings.

Topics to be covered:

- enabling musicianship in mixed groups
- inclusion and communication through music
- incorporating interpersonal and therapeutic approaches

The training has a unique, experiential element. Attendees will be offered the opportunity to attend one of our ‘Heart Beats’ live music sessions, to co-lead a workshop with an integrated, inclusive group of young musicians.

Places are strictly limited.

Do bring your own instruments, though some will be provided.

Please bring some lunch to share. Drinks and snacks are provided.

DATE : Saturday January 30^th 2016

Location : The Lecture Hall, Wells and Mendip Museum, 8 Cathedral Green, Wells BA5 2UE

Time : 10.00-3.30                                                                                      

Cost : £40.00  (concs. available, please enquire) 

To book : info@heartbeats.org.uk     01373 813558

Gathering ideas for our training day

On Saturday January 30th 2016, the AllStars Music team will be hosting an open-access CPD session for educators who use music and musicians who work in care and education.
The training will focus on developing a person-centered approach to music: unlocking creativity and confidence.
As a team, we have a wide range of SEN/D expertise, so the training will be useful for people who work in SEN/D, or the wider aspects of musical inclusion.

We'll be sharing some of the thinking and practice that informs our work, both in  our inclusive Heart Beats sessions, and also our wider work with schools, mentoring, and using music as a tool for therapy and communication.

As part of the package, we'll be offering linked opportunities for experiential learning through placements at the Heart Beats music group.

At the moment we're gathering ideas for the day, especially thinking about what 'musical inclusion' means and how to create a 'playful' environment.

There will be plenty of playing on the day, so if you want to come, bring an instrument.


Watch this blog for more details. The venue will be in Wells and the day will run from 10.00 - 3.30. Tickets will be available soon.

Drawing with sound ... join us August 30th

On August 30th we're running a workshop for Sound Foundation Somerset / Spaeda / Short Breaks Somerset, at Bow Wharf in Langport.
There are still places available. Suitable for young people and professionals (who will be invited to stay on for some CPD in the afternoon).

We are taking this years 'Big Draw' as our theme.
We'll be 'drawing with sound'.
The soundscapes we'll be creating are based on landscapes - urban, rural, and coastal.
Alex is going to record the music we play so it can be used as a soundtrack.

For more information, see http://www.soundfoundationsomerset.org.uk/event/music-making-workshop-with-count-me-in/

Count Me In are leading some experiential training for Sound Foundation Somerset....

Breaking news....


Fantastic Professional Development Opportunity for Somerset Music Practitioners!

Sound Foundation Somerset (Somerset’s Music Education Hub) and Somerset County Council’s Short Breaks are funding a great professional development opportunity for music practitioners in Somerset.

This is for people who work with children and young people with disabilities, learning and communication needs and who are interested in developing their music leading skills.


Supported by SPAEDA Arts Education, and delivered by Count Me In, this experiential learning opportunity includes two mornings of live music workshops based on structured, improvised group music making.

Practitioners will participate in these workshops and learn to lead a group of children and young people with disabilities, learning and communication needs.

Afternoon sessions focus on learning and professional development, with practitioners reflecting, planning and reviewing the workshops.


Thursday 20th and Friday 21st February 2014


Great Bow Wharf, Bow Street, Langport, TA10 9PN


9.30am – 12.30pm- workshop for 12 years +


Lunch – for Count Me In and CPD Participants


1.30-3.30pm CPD element for emerging practitioners



Call: 01458 254265 to book your practitioner place.
Only five free CPD places available

Workshop leaders to expland their vocal cords....!

Next week we're off to sunny Taunton for a mini masterclass with Yvette Staelens, Somerset's top voice practitioner and all-round good person.
And after that - will we be empowered to sing? watch this space!

Sounds of Intent in Bristol

We're going to this conference in July. Alex is speaking - we promised not to heckle!

Heart Beats training day

Breaking news! We've booked top class music leader and creator of Lifemusic, Dr Rod Paton, to lead a training skillshare day for us - we'll have a few places to spare if you know anyone interested. The date will be September 17th, 2012, and we have the lecture room booked at Wells Museum. More to follow soon.

Embrace Create Connect

Russ and Jane have just returned from the learning disability arts conference in Leicester - Embrace, Create, Connect.
We went there in a team with our friends from Openstorytellers.
This was a really well organised event - stimulating, challenging, friendly, varied, exciting. We've spoken to so many people and connected with lots of ideas. There's a lot of dance and theatre-based stuff out there : not enough music, though - we'd love to run a presentation if this event happens again.
Outstanding for us was the crew from Sage Gateshead, representing their programme Community Music Sparks. This is a picture of Andrew and Michael, who had us dancing in the aisles.
Our dream is to pay them a visit - see their team in action, share some ideas, get some top class CPD.
Is Gateshead a long way from Somerset? mmmm.

Heart Beats news

It's so great to be underway with this fabulous project - another fine session last Thursday.
Lots going on!
We're putting our evaluation strategy to the test, with a visit from our evaluator Nell to the session last week.
The trainees Iona and Sophia have had their induction session and are ready to rock'n'roll.
Musician in residence Declan is now a fully fledged team member. Thanks for the great song last week Declan!
I'm visiting our partner project SOUNDSCAPES to sit in on their 'improvisation' taster session next week.
We're organising our parallel mini-series of workshops which we hope will happen at Critchill school in Frome.
We're plotting and planning our Professional Development day which will happen in late spring / early summer. We've got our eyes on someone really good to lead this day, and there will be a few places for sale .... more info to follow soon.
And, last but not least, we're starting to wonder about how to spend out equipment grant from the Somerset Community Foundation. Mmmm - lots of nice things out there. Send us your ideas.
Russ wants : a steel pan...
I want: big fat chime bars....
What do you want?