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.

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/

Partnerships, meetings, Fast Forward Festival... a busy time

It's been a busy time recently - the last month has been full up.

We've been meeting our fabulous partners who are helping us to set up and deliver an excellent programme of music making. 

We've had meetings and hatched action plans with Wells Cathedral School, the Somerset Rural Youth Project, Elmwood and Penrose federation of schools in Bridgwater, and Spaeda in Langport.

We've run an arts week music day in Fiveways school, who loved our work and want us to come back and do more.

We've visited Fairfield Farm College in Wiltshire and fixed dates to do an evening session there, and an arts week day next year.

Alex and Jane have been planning out the Listening Lounge strand of the project, with a focus on mentoring and Arts Award - that's going to be exciting, a new departure for us. We're looking at creating a space where music therapy and community music can work together -  where we can listen sensitively and respond intentionally.

We attended the Fast Forward Festival 'Inclusive Excellence' conference at The Colston Hall in Bristol. This was a thought provoking day that ended in performances by Drake Music and the Paraorchestra.

We were asked to consider that 'The musical world discriminates against disabled people. If we don’t change this, we endorse it.
1. What must the music industry do to create a fair ecology?
2. How can music education change to prepare young disabled musicians for this new ecology?'
We went away with a head full of questions and ideas about access, ability, inclusion, and participation. We need more chance to meet and investigate these big issues together. It's  a vibrant discussion and there are so many angles.
AllStars offers an informal music education environment where our team do their best to provide a valuable, progressive experience for everyone, reacting to individual abilities and interests. We feel we can work with young people who wouldn't have been offered much in the way of formal musical education; we believe access to live music making is a universal right. Not sure if this is 'inclusive excellence', but it's always surprising and exciting, and goes further than we ever thought it would. One thing for sure, there's no discrimination here. Come and play music with us.

On Thursday Jane joined a conversation on SEN/D music education at the Wiltshire Music Centre. Again - lots of thought provoking questions were raised about music, excellence, and inclusion. One thing that emerged was that the AllStars project may be able to help with CPD and developing the workforce.

What we're looking forward to now is our next music session on July 16th. It's all very well talking about music, but you mustn't forget to play some now and again, too...
This seems to be a good time to say how good it is to be part of such a great team, in the SW, doing what we love best : making music!

Oh - and we mustn't forget Geoff: see you all on Thursday.

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/

August 30th - creating a soundtrack for the Big Draw and some more CPD too

You can book a place by ringing Spaeda, 01458 254 262. info@spaeda.org.uk.£5 for young people, £10 for professionals to include lunch.

 

 

CPD opportunity for professionals - with Alex

Sound Foundation workshops

Good times had by all at the Brewhouse Theatre on Saturday, where we were running inclusive 'drop in' workshops for the Sound Foundation Somerset festival. A truly integrated day! - all ages and abilities. As someone pointed out, the dynamics and feel of the music change every time a new person enters the room.
We all bring in our own way of responding and contributing.
Warm, welcoming, surprising, musical. Funny, and often very beautiful.
Thanks to everyone for your playing!

Thanks to Spaeda for supporting this. And thanks to Rod Paton for the Lifemusic ideas that make this kind of thing work so well.

Heart Beats Sound Foundation festival - July 12th

Russ and Jane are running  Count Me In workshops at the Sound Foundation Somerset Music festival in Taunton next week.
Our workshops are especially for young people with disabilities and their families / circles of support.

The workshops are in the Brewhouse theatre, 11 - 3. (One morning, one after lunch)

You can find out more, and book a FREE place, by getting in touch with Spaeda : 01458 254 262 / 07976 118650, alice@speada.org.uk

There's lots of other music events happening too : www.soundfoundationsomerset.org.uk

Half term music making opportunity

Please spread the word - there are still places available on these excellent workshops  for young people with disabilities (12 and over). Siblings, parents and extended families welcome too!
The workshops will be run by Alex, Russ, Geoff and Jane from the Heart Beats / Count Me In team.

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

Tasters for disabled children in Somerset

Count Me In / Heart Beats are pleased to bringing their music to

'Things to do with Arts and Media…. Tasters for disabled children in Somerset'.

Thanks to funding from the SCC Short Breaks Service, the InspirED agencies* have come together to offer six Saturdays of arts and media activities in Langport in September and October 2103.   The programme offers six weeks of two hour arts and media tasters for disabled children of 12 years upwards, their families and carers and will also provide participants with an opportunity to undertake the Arts Award.  You can attend them individually or book the entire programme for only £5 per young person per session, carer goes free.

Experienced and passionate arts practitioners will lead the programme as follows.  All sessions from 10am-12noon in the fully accessible venue of Great Bow Wharf, Langport. 

·        Sat 21^st September – Things to do with Music and Song
·        Sat 28^th September and Sat 5^th October – Things to do with Film
·        Sat 12^th and Sat 19^th October – Things to do with Sculpture
·        Sat 26^th October – end of project celebration sharing the films we have made and playing sounds to tell a story through noise!

Booking and further information: Call Sarah at SPAEDA on 01458 254 262

*InspirED agencies are – SPAEDA Arts Eduction, Somerset Art Works, The Engine Room and Take Art.

Sound Foundation Somerset - another event to attend

On June 26th Alex will be talking at the Sound Foundation Somerset's second event looking at musical inclusion - how do we get more children and young people into music? Please spread the word about this event, which is in Langport, Somerset.

Please note that this event has been postponed until later in 2013.