The National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) - just one of 19 Hearts and Minds projects nationally - are running a singing programme called ‘Hopscotch' to work with 27 local Primary Schools in York. It centres on reviving singing games and songs in school playgrounds, and a trained community musician (from the NCEM) acts as song leader, guiding the children through newly devised as well as traditional singing games together, using fun and colourful resources such as skipping ropes, signs and balls. The idea is to train the older children to become song leaders so they can continue the singing games with their peers and the younger children.
Meanwhile, Aldeburgh Music's ‘Suffolk Sings' project - in conjunction with Guildhall School of Music & Drama MA Leadership students - are offering creative voice-based workshops to all primary and middle schools participating in their annual ‘A Celebration of Schools Music' event, open to all Suffolk schools. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage children from all backgrounds in a massed performance.
Just started is a pioneering new Hearts and Minds project run by Music and the Deaf, involving around 120 hearing-impaired primary school children, based in Wolverhampton, Wakefield, Sunderland, Margate and St Albans. Because signing is usually an add-on rather then the root of new music, the deaf-led projects empower children to make up their own songs using signing as a starting point. A major composition project is happening in St Albans and other areas are participating in their local musical traditions.
Sing Up, the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, produced by Youth Music, with The Sage Gateshead, AMV-BBDO and Faber Music, supported by Government.
