A Music Making conference

On Friday April 28th we'll be showing what we do at Youth + Music =  a Music Making Conference - a conference for teachers, youth workers, musicians, and music practitioners in Bridgwater.

Youth + Music = is organised by local organisation the Somerset Rural Youth Project, who have been project partners of ours for several years now.

Here's Geoff doing some music leading at their conference last year . This year we shall be explaining what we do to make our music workshops more inclusive.

SRYP conference

Somerset Rural Youth Projects' Rural Music Network have been a partner project for us in HeartBeats and the AllStars work.
We've shared expertise, done a lot of co-management support, and run workshops for each other.
Last month, James from SRYP came and ran a drum kit workshop for us. Different ... fun.

This weekend, Katie, Emma, Josh and Geoff are co-delivering two music inclusion workshops at SRYP's conference in Bridgwater. Jane Russ and Rachel will be there supporting.
We're looking forward to meeting other music leaders, new people, and - of course - Michael Eavis too.

Partnership working

AllStars and the Heart Beats Music sessions are funded by Youth Music. We are a 'fund B" initiative, which means we are running several projects at the same time, that all fit together.

Our big aim is to bring all sorts of young musicians together (trained or not)  to experiment with sound and explore their love of music : all the music we play is original, new, and improvised - the shared product of a group of people.
Our core team and some volunteers have a range of learning disabilities and we believe, if things are right for them, then they're right for all of us.

To help us run our project, we have some partner organisations.
These are : Wells Cathedral School; Spaeda; Elmwood and Penrose Schools Federation in Bridgwater; and the Somerset Rural Youth Project (SRYP).

All of these partners are valuable to our work - they provide information, support, networks, help with recruitment, venues - and workshops too.

Tonight James Brookes from SRYP is bringing a team from his Rural Music Network, along with several drum kits, to lead a rhythm workshop.
They've been running kit sessions in Shepton Mallet and Castle Cary, and want to share what they do.

We're looking forward to this - a different way to play ourselves into the Easter break.
Last time James came to work with us it was awesome....  everyone enjoys to try something entirely new, and meet new people.
Let's hope there will be enough mini eggs to go round.

Youth + Music = SW conference

Count Me In are going to this music conference on April 23rd.
We shall be running some workshops where people can get a taste of what we do, and talking about our work.

There will be lots of other great SW organizations there too:
Wren Music - Action Track - Somerset Rural Youth project - RIO - Bristol Plays Music - Bath Festivals - Supreme Youth Project.

The guest speaker is local chap Michael Eavis.

Partnerships for the AllStars project -working with Somerset Rural Youth Project again

We've got some support from local organisations for the AllStars Project.

James Brookes from the Somerset Rural Youth Project has given us a lot of help and support to run Heart Beats.

Now James and SRYP are going to help us run AllStars too.

Their Rural Music Network sessions in Castle Cary and Shepton Mallet are in our area so we are going to create an 'exchange of opportunities' for young people in both projects, which are both funded by Youth Music.

James says 

I look forward to supporting Count Me In with their very exciting new music project bid, that offers opportunity for two Youth Music funded organisations to continue to work together. Developing new and exciting methods of making music accessible in Somerset, while at the same time enhancing support for one another in the process.

One part of our partnership is that Alex, Geoff, Jane and Russ are going to work with Heart Beats star Mark J to run a series of 'Smoozic' (Shepton Mallet Music!) sessions together - everyone is welcome. These are integrated sessions for everyone, of all abilities and ages.

More news soon.

All at sea!

It's Heart Beats at the Rural Music network tomorrow - Shepton Mallet Baptist church, 7 - 8.

We have chosen 'all at sea' for our theme : so come on you landlubbers....join us for some music for the High Seas, and other rollicking fun.

Heart Beats at the Rural Music Network, February 9th 2015

Heart Beats hero Mark J. has fund raised, organised and made the poster for this session.
All you have to do is book a place (0797457603, email jamesbrookes@sryp.org.uk) and turn up on the night. It's free!
Huge massive fun guaranteed. Come and meet up with your old friends. Warm your hearts in the middle of a cold winter!

HeartBeats in Shepton Mallet

HeartBeats musician Mark Johnson has been plotting and plannning with our musical partners Somerset Rural Youth Project.

Mark has asked us to come and run a music workshop for the SRYP 'Rural Music Network' community music project in Shepton Mallet.

Everyone is welcome, old friends and new, families, young and old....

The project is funded by Youth Music and O2, and the session is FREE!

Date : Monday February 9th

Venue : The Baptist Church in Commercial Road, Shepton Mallet

Time: 7p.m. start (don't be late) - 8p.m. finish.

Bring instruments if you want, but we have plenty for you.

Expect some good sounds, and some fun.

Mark will be there to welcome you and show off his skills.

SRYP have other taster sessions too, they are all free.

On the Off Beat in Woolavington

Looking forward to delivering a workshop for the Somerset Rural Youth projects' Soundscapes crew on Tuesday evening.
We're going for an 'on the off beat' feel - could be reggae, could be ska. Will be cool.

some rock pics

Sharing the drum kit

Guitar section

working on the keyboard parts

Bass guitars

working together

rock'n'roll

concentrating

A good team on the electronic kit

Star trainee!

star trainee too!

James and Martyn leading

getting into the groove

vocals - the finished song

Here's some snapshots of our rock band workshop.....thanks to SRYP's Soundscapes team James and Paul....

Tonight

Tonight! - Rock Band workshop, 7 - 9, with James Brookes from SRYP.......

Rrrrrooooock band evening!

On October 11th our Heart Beats session will be different.
James and Paul from Soundscapes - our partner project - will be coming with loads of new stuff to run a 'rock band' evening for us.
Everyone can have a go at playing electric music together, with drum kit too.
The times are different too - 7 o'clock to 9 o'clock.
Woo hoo.

Heart Beats - lots of new things coming up soon.

What some people may not know is that Heart Beats is a project in two phases. We're excited that when we come back from our summer break there will be lots of things going on in the Heart Beats universe!

We'll be starting our autumn sessions on September 13th - usual place (Wells Museum) and usual time (6.00 - 8.00). Don't forget to come if you're part of our gang - or, if you're not, but you'd like to join us, email info@heartbeats.org.uk for some information.

We'll be welcoming our new trainees too - Elin and Ros.

One session this autumn will be run by James Brookes, from Somerset Rural Youth project, who has promised us a rock band workshop. And we'll be going to Jame's project, Soundscapes, to run a  workshop for them.

This autumn we will be running a 'little Heart Beats' project at Critchill school in Somerset, to reach some new participants - this will be an after school club.

Next year we'll carry on. In 2013 we'll concentrate on helping our Heart Beats crew to take turns to lead the music.
So - when 'phase two' starts, we'll be taking Heart Beats out on the road. Next summer we can offer music workshops with our own Heart Beats music leaders, in schools and communities across the SW region. Do get in touch if you'd like to book a workshop or you want more information.

Soundscape

I've been visiting the Soundscape project in Woolavington this evening. Lots of lively young people down there!
James led an improvisation session, everyone learning riffs and then adapting them to make new pieces.
Looking forward to welcoming James to the Heart Beats session this week. The co-project work is really interesting.

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?

Linkto the Soundscape page

I am organising my co-working visits to SRYP's Soundscape project in Woolavington. Soundscape is funded by Youth Music too.
SRYP and Count Me In are working together through co-supervision, skillshare swaps and constructive feedback.
There are some excellent pictures of the Soundscape project on the SRYP website.

Co-supervision with James

One of the great things about Heart Beats is that I get to have co-supervision and co-management meetings with James Brookes from SRYP.
James runs the Youth Music Power Play project Soundscape .
Our meetings are a chance to share successes, and what we've learned. That really helps when you're running everything yourself. Sometimes it helps to have another perspective on things.
I'm sure both projects will benefit.

Welcome one and all to our new HEART BEATS blog.

Hi everyone! This blog is where we can share ideas, news and thoughts about Heart Beats - the new music project run by COUNT ME IN, funded by Youth Music and Flourish Homes.

Heart Beats is a music club for young people with learning disabilities between the ages of 16 and 25 - it doesn't matter where you live, or if you play music yet. We're here to help you do that! Heart Beats happens on Thursday evenings, twice a month in term time, at Wells Museum. The two hour sessions cost £1 per person and start at 6.00 p.m.
To join up, you can email info@heartbeats.org.uk or ring 01373 813558.

We'll use this blog to keep in touch with you, and also share news and ideas with our partner project, Soundscape, which is run by Somerset Rural Youth Project and funded by Youth Music too.