Our workshops wouldn't be the same without the instruments we've bought with funding from Music for Alice.
Read more about how their funding has helped us on their website here
Heart Beats music is a Somerset club for younger adults with learning disabilities. Heart Beats is run by Count Me In. Our team give you the support and opportunities to have friendly fun and play live music on real instruments. Our 'AllStars' project is about playing, leading and teaching music. It’s called 'AllStars' because we believe everyone is musical. We're supported by Youth Music, using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
welcome to Heart Beats
Monday, 9 May 2016
Thursday, 28 April 2016
The SRYP conference
Last Saturday, we went to the SRYP conference in Bridgwater.
Here's Geoff, Emma, Josh and Katie, with Russ and Michael Eavis. Michael joined in with our warm ups though he wasn't to keen to play the drum that was offered him!
Here's Geoff, Emma, Josh and Katie, with Russ and Michael Eavis. Michael joined in with our warm ups though he wasn't to keen to play the drum that was offered him!
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| The HeartBeats team |
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| Our instruments looked lovely in the new theatre |
Thursday, 21 April 2016
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.
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.
Ben's disco....
Ben Waller and Loops Music are starting a new friendly and accessible night out at the Wheatsheaves in Frome.
Spread the word! Stay up late!
Spread the word! Stay up late!
Thursday, 31 March 2016
Keeping the skills up
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| Geoff with his djembe |
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!'
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| At the AllStars training session |
Thursday, 24 March 2016
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.
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.
Friday, 18 March 2016
animated improvisation
Unexpected things can happen at the Listening Lounge .....Here's an improvisation inspired by St Patricks' Day, played by the one-and-only Esther on the harp. Animations by Josh. Dancing and laughter by everyone.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Music and place
Lovely day - and it's St Patricks Day too.
At the Listening Lounge tonight we're going to get in the mood exploring rhythms and atmosphere, jigs reels and slow airs.... thinking about music and place.
At the Listening Lounge tonight we're going to get in the mood exploring rhythms and atmosphere, jigs reels and slow airs.... thinking about music and place.
Friday, 11 March 2016
Close your eyes ... and open your ears
We're continuing with our exploration of the sensory aspects of improvised music.
Yesterday, our group experimented with playing whilst having their eyes shut.
Alex asked us to 'pass a clap' around the group - first with eyes open, and then eyes shut.
The difference was striking! It took us about 3 goes before we began to recognise the unqiue sound of the person next to us and find our place in the sequence.
Later, Jane asked the group to improvise a piece quietly, eyes closed, with no prompts other than a significant sound for 'start' and 'stop'. People were told they could contribute as much or as little to the piece as much as they liked.
Together we created music that had a distinctive atmosphere, shape and sound. It felt complex but respectful.
In feedback, a lot of people said these things were their favourite part of the session.
Geoff said 'our two ears are connected to our brain.'
Without visual input, our sense of listening became much more important.
There is some research that states our brains divert activity away from our visual centres during listening tasks.
In our sessions, especially when there are so many people, we tend to use physical conducting gestures to sculpt the music - so this was different.
It is also a way of exploring what it is like to be part of the group for the group member who is visually impaired.
From a music leaders' point of view - it removed the need for active music leading. Perhaps this was possible, and successful, because we've all played together so much already?
As a group activity, it showed us how connected we are to each other, and how we can feel more relaxed without the need to process visual information.
You might think you become less aware of others if you can't see them : what we felt was that we could listen more clearly, and because of this, become more aware of others.
Yesterday, our group experimented with playing whilst having their eyes shut.
The difference was striking! It took us about 3 goes before we began to recognise the unqiue sound of the person next to us and find our place in the sequence.
Later, Jane asked the group to improvise a piece quietly, eyes closed, with no prompts other than a significant sound for 'start' and 'stop'. People were told they could contribute as much or as little to the piece as much as they liked.
Together we created music that had a distinctive atmosphere, shape and sound. It felt complex but respectful.
In feedback, a lot of people said these things were their favourite part of the session.
Geoff said 'our two ears are connected to our brain.'
Without visual input, our sense of listening became much more important.
There is some research that states our brains divert activity away from our visual centres during listening tasks.
In our sessions, especially when there are so many people, we tend to use physical conducting gestures to sculpt the music - so this was different.
It is also a way of exploring what it is like to be part of the group for the group member who is visually impaired.
From a music leaders' point of view - it removed the need for active music leading. Perhaps this was possible, and successful, because we've all played together so much already?
As a group activity, it showed us how connected we are to each other, and how we can feel more relaxed without the need to process visual information.
You might think you become less aware of others if you can't see them : what we felt was that we could listen more clearly, and because of this, become more aware of others.
Thursday, 10 March 2016
Wells Musicircus
In June, we're taking part in Wells Musicircus, which is being co-ordinated by our project partners Wells Cathedral School.
Inspired by the composer John Cage, musicians will perform simultaneously from every available space, creating a joyous musical marketplace.
This will be the largest gathering of musicians Wells has ever seen, flooding the city with a cacophony of sound...
The event begins in the market place and wends its way across the Cathedral Green, to end in a huge picnic by the new Cedars Hall.
Our role in this? we'll be there playing music that will reflect the mood of the day and of course - we shall offer instruments and a chance to join in with our HeartBeats group.
Inspired by the composer John Cage, musicians will perform simultaneously from every available space, creating a joyous musical marketplace.
This will be the largest gathering of musicians Wells has ever seen, flooding the city with a cacophony of sound...
The event begins in the market place and wends its way across the Cathedral Green, to end in a huge picnic by the new Cedars Hall.
Our role in this? we'll be there playing music that will reflect the mood of the day and of course - we shall offer instruments and a chance to join in with our HeartBeats group.
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