Fairfield Farm College

Wow, what a brilliant evening playing music at Fairfield Farm College - thanks Geoff, Mark, Alex, Ben, Russ ..... and all the Fairfield Farmers crew.


Heart Beats hit the spot!  what a joyful load of spontaneous music-making. Fun with reggae and funky beats, gentle improvisation, conducting, movement and games.
Thanks to everyone at Fairfield for making us welcome, giving us cool drinks, showing us the beasties (cute baby cows), chatting, helping set up and pack away.
Most of all, thanks for your music, singing and enthusiasm. 




O. said 'Thank you for coming and playing music with us here - will you come back? We don't get this opportunity often.'
J. stood up and said 'I'm leaving this college - and so are lots of my friends.' So, it was an important moment. We hope everyone will remember the great party we had together  - the Heart Beats crew won't forget it in a hurry, that's for sure.

More schools.

We were playing more Heart Beats music with very young people at Three Ways yesterday.
Geoff played his didgeridoo and demonstrated how the sound comes from the inside of a djembe. Because it was such a hot day we played gentle, relaxing sounds.

And here is a lovely letter from Critchill School, where we did some after-school club sessions.
It's a privilege to work with so many young people. The music is different, every time.

This Thursday - off to Fairfield Farm College for what I suspect might be some high-energy fun.

School workshops in Bridgwater

Phase two of our Youth Music work is in full swing now. Today we were at Elmwood School in Bridgwater, running workshops for their enrichment day. Sadly Penrose School couldn't join us as planned, as Ofsted had suddenly arrived!
Elmwood is a friendly school, we had a great welcome and lots of cake.
All the students joined in, concentrated hard, and made some good music.
Emma and Geoff came with us, to help lead the workshop. A student said that Emma's conducting was 'magic', and someone else said Geoff's drumming was the best thing of the day. So well done you two.

This second phase of our project can be quite challenging as we are in new situations with young people who may have complex needs, but don't know us at all.
Part of the big strength of our 'usual' Heart Beats sessions is the chance to work regularly as a team. Now we have to work with our strengths in one-off situations.

What is working well is our ability to help people improvise and really explore group music making.
Rod Paton calls this 'communitas'.
Thanks to a really brilliant team, sunny days like today will remembered for some while to come.

Next Monday we are going to Threeways School in Bath to work with primary children.

News!

MUSIC SESSIONS IN 2013-14

Count Me In are really happy to announce the news that we have secured funding from the Big Lottery Fund (Awards for All) to carry on with our music sessions at Wells Museum.

The Big Lottery want us to provide a safe space where young people in challenging circumstances, with learning needs and autism, can make friends, play good music, relax and communicate with each other.

These sessions will be the same as ever – run by Jane, Alex, Russ, Geoff and Ben. We will explore live music together and have fun too, of course.

Sessions are on Thursdays – we start at 6.00 and finish at 8.00.

You need to be aged between 16 and 25 to come. We ask everyone to pay £1.50 a session towards drinks, snacks, and venue hire.

You will be asked to sign a new registration form when you come. We’d like everyone to come to every session please, if you can.

If you have questions, or know anyone new who would like to come, ring us on 01373 813558, or email info@heartbeats.org.uk 

You can follow our project blog at:

www.heart-beatsmusic.blogspot.co.uk

 

DATES FOR THE NEW SESSIONS

2013

1. Sept 19^th
2. Oct 3^rd
3. Oct 24^th
4. Nov 7^th
5. Nov 21^st
6. Dec 5^th

          2014

7. Jan 9th
8. Jan 23^rd
9. Feb 6^th
10. Feb 27^th
11. Mar 13^th
12. Mar 27^th
13. April 24^th
14. May 1^st
15. May 15^th
16. June 12^th

Sessions are at Wells Museum, BA5 2UE.  Session times 6.00 – 8.00 p.m. Cost £1.50. For more information email info@heartbeats.org.uk  or ring 01373813558.

Summer Party

You are invited to join Alex, Russ, Jane and Ben

at the

Summer Party

To celebrate the success of the Heart Beats project.

This is on

Thursday, July 4^th, 2013

 6.00 – 8.00 p.m.

at

Wells Museum

Please wear something colourful.

Bring Mums, Dads, siblings, carers…..

Refreshments provided.

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.

Planning for the Heart Beats party on July 4th

Here's some of the crew taking a break, having a banana and helping to plan the party we're having on July 4th. mmmm... looks like hard work to me.

And here's our wonderful trainees, Elin and Roo .... looking... wonderful.

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!

Feedback....

At the end of the session we always pass a 'microphone'  (talking stick) for people to hold, and say or show what they have enjoyed about workshop.
Sometimes it's a smile, a gesture, or just a sound : sometimes the most surprising things!
Here are a few quotes from the feedback at the end of our FMU outreach session last week:

·      I say thank you for people doing drumming and music, and thank you for doing Heartbeats and it’s really good, for Heartbeat drum

·      I loved every minute of it and I liked the brilliant sound we made when everyone worked together

·      having some shakers – that’s good – the beats of the drums – that sounds funny, and then girls dancing....

·      I enjoyed being here and making new friends. You guys are really cool. .. and You know what, and I liked it. It was really cool and I liked being the singer, and listening to music - I liked the music and the drums and that, really cool. You guys are really awesome

Our team said some nice things too:

• I liked every bit of it. I don’t know if I can pick out a favourite bit – Liked all of it 
• It’s nice to see new people, it’s nice to get new friends

Outreach hits FMU!!!

Ears still buzzing and heart still thumping after an awesome music-and-sound-charged start to our outreach season at Openstorytellers 'FMU' club.
Thanks for hosting guys!
Great welcome, nice dancing, good playing.
Thanks to our awesome team - Martha, Geoff, Mark, Elin and Roo - great leading. It's a joy to work with you all.

Next up : after shcool club at Fosseway school this week.
Session at Threeways School in Bath.
Session at Penrose School in Bridgwater.
Two sessions at Fosseway school holiday club.