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School Workshops Community Workshops |
Secondary EducationIt's the weekly orchestra rehearsal and the pupils arrive expecting to get out their instruments and take their usual places sitting front of music stands. However today there's a difference as there are no stands or chairs set out. Within a few minutes the musicians have warmed up their instruments, experimented with playing by ear and taken their first few steps into the wonderful world of improvisation. They learn a simple tune with word and phrases to help.
By the next week the Samba band has got involved too and everyone's learning how to input their own ideas and remember the arrangement of the piece. The event is a triumph and the following year more musicians are involved, this time familiar with the approach or catching their peers' enthusiasm. Other workshops have included: - Working with a string ensemble of all abilities so they could take part in a community event. - Collaborating with Chartwell Dutiro from Zimbabwe to produce a fusion piece for an anti-racism event, performed by a range of pupils, including musicians and singers. - Gathering pupils from wind band, string group and choir together to perform at a local festival, with local bands, singing groups and dancers. |
"I've learned so many tunes and techniques and had such great fun. You've restored my hope for the future. Thankyou." "Really good learning the tunes by ear, and they were good because of them being more celtic. It sounds good even though some people are at different levels but everyone still played something." "This is the first time we've learnt by ear, at first we thought it was really hard but as we went along it got easier. We think this is really good and we enjoyed it!" |
Strings, woodwind and brass are taught separately and then brought together to combine harmonies and rhythms. A recording and notation is left with the group and they get busy in their individual and group lessons to be ready to play in Truro Cathedral for St Piran's Day in a few weeks' time.