Heart Beats - Phase two

Some people have been wondering if they have missed some Heart Beats sessions at Wells.
To make things clear:
Open sessions have stopped now. (We hope they will start again in the autumn - we're waiting for funding news.)
We will have 'open doors' at the Heart Beats project party, on July 4th, 6 - 8 at Wells Museum.
Meanwhile, from now until our Youth music funding ends after the summer, we are running the second phase of the project. This is where we go out and run 'outreach' sessions in schools, holidays clubs and so on.
The first of these is at FMU (Friends meet up) in Frome, on May 11th.
- see www.openstorytellers.org.uk for details.
 So - if you go to FMU, see you there!
Watch the blog for more news about Phase Two.

Somerset Sound Foundation

Just back from giving a presentation about Heart Beats at the Somerset Sound Foundation (music hub) event hosted by Spaeda at Great Bow Wharf, Langport - 'how do we get more children and young people into music?'
Ideally I would have taken the whole gang along and just played music! But, words, photos and film had to suffice. Great to get good feedback and especially inspiring to hear about other work going on across the county and region - including Actiontrack and Drake Music amongst others.
Giving this presentation has helped me to think clearly about Heart Beats and look back on what has been good practice.
We're now entering phase two with our first 'rehearsal' session with our core peer leading team - a step into the unknown, but a good one I feel.

Music leading

At Heart Beats, we have our own way of music leading -  using agreed signals, body language, and conducting. Sometimes two people can lead at the same time - this needs empathy and a good awareness of your 'leading partner'.
Here's a clip of two of the Heart Beats crew doing some co-leading.
As you can see, it's fun too.

Games at Heart Beats

We often start our sessions with some musical games. This is a short film of a game we play - mirroring. You take turns to lead or copy. When the music stops - don't move! It's fun and relaxing - a great way to loosen up and make connections.

Count Me In are taking part in a sharing event about 'musical inclusion'

We're pleased and excited to be involved in a sharing event,  where we will be talking about Heart Beats.
This event is called 'How can we get more children and young people into music'?
It's  a free event and parents, carers and youth workers are welcome - it's not just for music leaders.
On June 26th Jane and Alex will both be talking at a similar event, aimed at the more 'formal' music sector - such as schools.

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.

Last Heart Beats before Easter

We have a great session planned for this week - lots of ideas contributed by everybody from last session, plus good bits from the awesome Heart Beats guitar orchestra .... Brazilian beats, Mexicans v Texans, tropical rainforests, and maybe even a reprise of David's song about his Good Dog.

The regular sessions will be coming to a pause as we start our outreach phase, going out and about to schools.

On 4th July there will be a date for your diaries : the Heart Beats summer party at Wells Museum, 6 - 8.


It's going to sound good ... the rhythm of the heart beat ..... warm hearts!

Deserts!

At our last session lots of people said they wanted to do 'guitars' this time.

We've been thinking hard about this one ..... because Geoff said 'African blues' too... so tonight's theme is...
DESERTS!
 First off, African desert blues (thanks for the inspiration, Tinariwen)
 Then, some low down Tex - Mex musical dualling in a dusty desert landscape.
We're just loading up with every guitar we can lay our hands on, plus a big bag of plectrums.
Get out of my way, tumbleweed. Here we come.

Heart Beats improvisation, February 2012

Alex recorded some of our session last week. You can listen to some of music by clicking on this link:

https://soundcloud.com/heart-beats-5/heart-beats-long-improvisation

Everyone is playing along on different instruments. Geoff is playing the didgeridoo - it sounds like a whale! We know Mark can make really good whale noises too, but he is playing the dun dun, the foundation drum.
The lovely sound at the start is Martyn on the 'boom tubes' - a home made instrument.
Emma is playing the steel pan which sounds really bright.
Daryl is playing chime bars.
David and Andrew are playing percussion. Daniel is on guitar.

We called this piece of music 'spring is coming'.

This week

Sunshine on our minds, don't forget there IS a Heart Beats session this week, so get ready to Get Funky! So you on Thursday.....