Community

Latest Jackdaws Schools Project (October 2008)

"The Handel Mix" with The Brook Street Band;
for three Frome schools--St. Johns, Trinity and Norton St Philip;



We are really pleased to have been part of the Brook Street Band project organised by Jackdaws Musical Trust. It has been a wonderful experience for our older pupils and they really enjoyed all aspects of the five weeks.  As well as learning about Handel’s life, pupils had opportunities to hear his music performed live and in recordings on instruments of the period. They were overawed by the sound of the opera singer performing in the small space of their classroom. We all felt the power of her voice and it was very impressive. We learnt several songs and enjoyed them all. However the sections from the Halleluiah Chorus were voted everyone’s favourite.
Although several children found learning to dance the minuet challenging they managed to perform it well. I was impressed that Tatti Theo persuaded all children to perform to the school, visitors and parents and the boys went down on one knee in the love song that we sang to the music, something they were very much against doing at the start.
We were able to learn a fanfare; playing notes on the recorder, ocarina, xylophone and drums. We appreciated how difficult it must have been to play notes on trumpets of the time, when we tried blowing our hose pipe and funnel versions. Even with the trumpet mouth pieces it was very hard to produce a note.
We used our voices in groups to produce different sounds and rhythms and  selected children had the opportunity to conduct the voice orchestra  by bringing in and out  the different sections and altering their volume.  They enjoyed the power of being the conductor.
This opportunity for ten hours of learning with a variety of professional musicians was really fantastic. The cost was subsidised to the school so it was only £150. Other pupils and parents were really impressed with the final performance, while staff and pupils gained a great deal from being part of this initiative. Our thanks must go to Jackdaws for enabling us to do this.

Sharman Flindall, Headmistress Norton St Philip

 

Children's final performance


Songbird Project

Letter from Headmaster of St Benedicts Primary School, Midsomer Norton - click here.

I write to thank you for the excellent Songbird project which we have enjoyed at St. Benedict's over the past 10 weeks.

Your teacher, Caroline Radcliffe, was a joy to have in school; her enthusiasm, expertise and management of the children-(and staff)-were key to the success of the project which was so ably demonstrated in today's concert. The project was a good example to all our teaching staff of how virtually the whole music curriculum can be delivered through singing; the exercises, use of musical terms, and singing techniques were clearly explained, and all the children gained a great deal; the choice of songs from around the world, particularly those in other languages, allowed us to explore different cultures, and had cross-curricular links with many subjects; the benefits of the project for children, staff and parents will be long lasting. We are indebted to the Jackdaws Trust and it's sponsors for allowing us this opportunity; thank you; I hope we are able to work together again in the future. Tony Nicholas.

LIST OF OUTREACH PROJECTS - PAST AND FUTURE - WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS

1996 - A nine day camp in the Jackdaws' garden, for forty 12 year olds from all ethnic backgrounds from a very deprived area in Bristol. The children worked at the choruses from Monteverdi s Vespers and gave an hour long performance in Latin and from memory at a local church. This project was the inspiration and forerunner of the Illuminations Projects.

ILLUMINATIONS PROJECTS - 10 Week Projects in Schools

2001 - Sing Messiah for children from Frome Schools - choruses from Handel's Messiah with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

2002 - Jazz Project with three Frome schools

2002/3 - The Magic Flute for children with learning difficulties. Discover Your Voice for four Frome schools. Medieval Music for five Frome Schools with the Dufay Collective

2003 - Stravinsky's Ballet Music for three Frome schools

2003/4 - Rhythmically Speaking for four Frome schools

2004 - Songs from Andulucia a classical guitar project for four Frome schools

2004 - Wagner's The Flying Dutchman for children with learning difficulties

2005 - Pergolesi's Stabat Mater for girls choirs from four schools

2006 - Wagner 'The Ring' - a project working with 4 schools and professional musicians. Review

2007 - Stravinsky's A Soldier's Tale - a project working with three Frome schools

2008 - The Handel Mix with The Brook Street Band www.brookstreetband.co.uk; and 3 Frome schools

FLIGHTS OF FANCY - Arts Weeks with seven artists - painter, two potters, willow sculptor, glass painter, musician and poet - who work with 30-40 children for five days. The week ends with a presentation to parents and invited guests.

1997 Water Birds

1998 Willow Whistler

1999 River Song

2001 Reflections of the Valley

2003 For children with learning difficulties

2004 For children from a deprived area of Frome

2005 Here, There and Everywhere - for children from a Middle School in Frome

2006 Maybug Madness

2007 No funding

2008 Repeat (by public request) of Maybug Madness

The next Flights of Fancy will take place (funding permitting) in May 2009

 

SONGBIRD -Funded by The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation - This is a continuous project which started in 1996. It takes place in all the primary schools in Frome and teaches musicianship through the voice with the Kodaly method. Parents have now started to join in and have formed their own choir. A teacher training programme was launched in 2005 and school music teachers introduced to ways of teaching this method.