Projects
For all Projects information contact Music for Change
Tel: 01227 459 243 Email: projects(at)musicforchange.org
Big and Small Music Makers
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| Tim Davy at Sturry Pre School | |
Music for Change’s Big and Small Music Makers project started in early January 2010. It is funded by Canterbury Coastal and City & Country Local Children's Services Partnerships (LCSPs). The positive effect of music making in the early years is well documented; music helps stimulate learning and development within young children. Big and Small Music Makers gives children in local pre-schools the opportunity to see and play instruments whilst partaking in live music sessions. The aim is to engage children (aged 2-5) in informal music-making activities by using musicians to lead and interact with small groups of children.
The project is being facilitated by five musicians who are spending 4 weeks each in four different pre-schools, giving them a chance to build a rapport with the children. The pre-schools are City View in Canterbury, The Firs in Chartham, Sturry Pre-School and Blean Pre-School. The musicians are Tim Davy (tuba), Mike Wheeler (melodeon) and Ruth Cronk (concertina), Livia Sevier (vocals/guitar) and Katy Diamond-Jalloh (vocals/guitar/flute). The project is off to a great start with staff, children and musicians thoroughly enjoying the sessions. There will also be monthly ‘open’ sessions held in local children’s centres, giving parents the chance to attend and experience the sessions with their children.
Some positive outcomes that pre-school staff have noted are;
- children gaining in confidence
- children learning and remembering new songs
- children with English as a second language have been able to participate fully
- exposure to unusual instruments
- musical exercises that help co-ordination, confidence-building, sharing, listening, self-expression and concentration.
The children have been exploring rhythm, tempo and pitch whilst thoroughly enjoying the participatory sessions which encourage appreciation of music, song and dance. There has been a lot of laugher so far!
The project will finish in early July with a celebratory finale in which all the schools and musicians will come together.