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The official newsletter of the lead organisation of Coventry Music Education Hub.
Follow us on Twitter and check out our website for all the latest news.
Included in this update:
2021 – lots has happened and much more to come!
2021 began with an extremely busy half term.
Thank you all for support in bringing online lessons for whole class, music groups and individual teaching across all of our instrumental and vocal offer.
As we get into the new half term we have an exciting new partnership with Solihull and Warwickshire Music Hubs, with online webinar masterclasses from some exciting professional musicians. The first session to end this half term featured trumpeter Mike Lovatt and future sessions will include Jess Gillam - Saxophone, Fred Cox - Producer and Alex Laing - violinist, conductor, teacher and writer of music. Find more information in this newsletter.
As we move towards the spring and summer we will be moving into our new home at Drapers’ Hall.
From 8 March Coventry Music are delighted to be able to return to schools – we will be working with each school individually to make sure we restart music making safely as well as relaunching a new and exciting music group offer.
Many thanks again for supporting music education across the city.
Drapers Hall - our new home from 2021
Mornings of Music news
Even though we have sadly had to cancel our Mornings of Music events for 2021 we have GOOD NEWS!
ALL primary schools will be invited to join together to celebrate Coventry's City of Culture in May 2021 to May 2022 and we really hope this is something that we can genuinely look forward to - and prepare for in the knowledge that it will happen. Our aim is to involve as many young people in Coventry as possible!
In September 2021 we will also be asking schools to begin learning the cultural cantata, a set of ten songs for voices and percussion instruments, written specifically for Coventry schools in preparation for workshops in early 2022 and a springtime performance. This will replace Mornings of Music 2022.
- All resources will be provided FREE
- We will publish links to the Cultural Cantata in readiness for our popular CPD events this summer (2021)
- We are planning a grand performance with secondary school pupils providing instrumental backing (date tbc, 2022)
Mike Lovatt joins Coventry students for an online workshop
On Thursday 11 February, Coventry Music joined forces with the music services from Solihull and Warwickshire to provide our young musicians and their families with the first in a series of online workshops with professional musicians.
We were lucky enough to spend time (virtually of course) in the company of Mike Lovatt, a trumpet virtuoso working at the top level of the music industry with professional orchestras and bands on a global level.
He shared with us the story of how he came to play the trumpet in the first place, his early inspirations and aspects of his musical journey which included being mentored by some of his instrumental heroes.
He took the time to listen to some of Solihull's young brass players, who were very brave to share the results of their talent and hard work with the large group in attendance, and he gave helpful feedback on breathing techniques and playing style.
There was a huge buzz of excitement when he demonstrated his own incredible artistry, treating us to a few bars of the mind-blowingly powerful and universally known James Bond theme which he has played professionally featuring on several of the original film soundtracks.
Before the end of the workshop, we were all delighted to hear a brilliant collaborative performance of Evergreen, played by Mike and some of the wonderful young musicians from Solihull.
We now look forward to the next events in the series - see below and on our website for more details
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We are launching our new offer to school next month, with some exciting new additions
Here is our new service price list for 2021/2022. Order on One place.
Download our full brochure.
Sparkyard from Out of the Ark - A visionary approach to primary school education
We are excited to be able to offerour schools a brand-new discounted subscription service called Sparkyard from Out of the Ark.
You’ll have access to over 900 songs, activities, assembly packages, videos and practical tips, as well as a comprehensive and flexible skills-based music curriculum for Early Years through to Year 6. This must-have resource is relevant to every teacher in every school and is fully accessible in one simple, friendly online package.
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Join The Mac Makes Music and Soundabout's musical community without barriers - The Midlands Inclusive Choir
Easy Read information
The choir is free and will meet online and sing together on alternate Saturdays starting from Sat 9 January 2021
Young people aged 25 and under are invited to join our new online choir for all abilities that focuses on ensuring people with severe and profound learning disabilities and their families are able to share their voice.
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Beaming into classrooms
As education has now become an online service for most pupils, we have been trying all sorts of ways of keeping music teaching going in the same way, from 1:1 lessons to whole class delivery. Claire Tyler has been working with some of our music tutors to guide them through using Microsoft Teams to (beam in to schools to) teach a class or a small group remotely. This has come with its challenges but also produced fantastic collaboration between the Coventry Music core team, music tutors, teachers, TAs in schools and of course, most importantly, the pupils. Guiding school staff through ukulele tuning via Teams has been a challenge, but also a brilliant CPD opportunity. Cathy Scott-Burt has been doing the same for violin tuning and preparation for classes and it has made such a difference to the lesson quality for the pupils.
Working out when to lead music activities with both microphones on for question and answer exercises or muting the microphone in the classroom for group playing has been become second nature!
Claire stated "The only scary moment for me was when the teacher tilted the class laptop towards the class whiteboard and all I could see was my huge head beaming into the class! Although this has been a tricky time adapting to new ways of working, I have learnt so much about my teaching style and how to manipulate the technology to work most effectively with what I teach. I still can’t wait to actually be back in the classroom in person to get immediate feedback from the children and make music with them live, without waiting for (the usual) internet delay and technical hitches! "
Exam success for young pupil
We would like to congratulate Elishah West for passing his grade 6 trumpet exam during lockdown.
Elishah has been learning trumpet at Blue Coat school with our very own brass teacher - Mr Allison. We are proud to say he not only successfully passed his Grade 6 trumpet exam but he passed with merit. He took the Music Teachers Board exam during this very difficult time showing that COVID-19 is not going to stop the progress of this talented young musician!
Well done Elishah and keep up the good work!
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Coventry String Ensemble stay strong despite lockdown
Coventry String Ensemble are once more working online this term. The young people put together their own ideas for lots of the repertoire this term, and we are playing everything from an 18th century Minuet by black British composer Ignatius Sancho to a Beatles song arranged for strings as well as working on learning some improvisation techniques to put our own take on Somewhere Over the Rainbow! Most of the ensemble are attending the National Youth Orchestra’s ‘Inspire Music Room’ event in half term, where we are looking forward to working alongside local members of the NYO and getting new ideas about creative working online. One of our violinists, Joe, has been accepted as part of the NYO Inspire Orchestra, and will be doing lots more work with them in half term – many congratulations to him!
Coventry Music Theory Class students to take exams
Coventry Music Online Theory Classes are going ahead as usual, with several of our students taking their grade 5 exam this term. It’s been great to see a variety of different ages in the classes, from beginning instrumentalists to year 10-13s supporting their GCSE, BTEC and A level music studies. We’ve three levels of class, so get in touch with us if you’d like to join a class after Easter – we will be beginning the two-term cycle of learning and sitting the grade 5 exam again, as well as starting off new beginners.
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Music continues online for Joseph Cash students
Joseph Cash school haven’t let lockdown stop their music service string teaching this term. Cathy Scott-Burt, one of our Music Engagement Officers, used video calling to teach some brilliant Joseph Cash TAs to tune the violins, and year 1 and year 3 children who are in school have been carrying on playing via Microsoft Teams lessons! School staff have been supporting the children during remote teaching and it’s been great to see how much they’re enjoying their playing.
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Do you sing, play, write perform or produce your own music?
SoundLab-COV is open to all young people aged between 12-17 from across Coventry interested in developing your musical skills with the help of a professional team of musicians.
Come along and:
- share your music with others
- become part of a musical community
- work with professional musicians
- take part in creative sessions
- develop your own material
Make the music that you want to make, in the way that you want to make it.
Sessions happen every Saturday on Zoom - if you would like to participate please email soundlab@bcu.ac.uk
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Visit the educational online pages at our partners - Orchestra of the Swan, where students can hear more about some set works by several of our principal players
Watch them.
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Professional Musician Workshop Series - Workshop No. 2
Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull will be welcoming the amazingly talented and inspirational Alex Laing for their next workshops, which will be accessible to all students of Warwickshire, on Thursday 11 March!
Alex Laing is a violinist, conductor, teacher and writer on music. He is Artistic Director (Music) at the King’s High School in Warwick as well as coaching and conducting for the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain and for the Benedetti Foundation. He is a former Head of Strings at Uppingham School and former professor at the Royal College of Music in the Junior Department. He is founder and Artistic Director of the Darwin Ensemble Chamber Orchestra.
The workshops will be aired on Zoom and for all those that sign up a code will be given out 24 hours before the event. Timings for the workshops will be as follows:
- Workshop 1 Grade 1 - 5 Violin, Viola and Cello Students 6pm - 6.45pm
- Workshop 2 Grade 6 - 8 Violin and Viola Students 7.15pm - 8pm
During the session Alex will be able to share his own experiences and inspirations as well as discussing the technical aspects of string techniques including bowing and vibrato for advanced players. These workshops will be an interactive, inspirational experience for all string players, you will need your instrument to be able to refine and improve your technique with Alex's guidance. We urge you to sign up as soon as possible as places are limited and we expect demand to be high. I know the workshops will be an exciting and enjoyable experience for all who attend.
Please reply to: music@coventry.gov.uk. Make sure that you make it clear which workshop you want to sign in for to ensure the correct link is sent.Include any questions that you have for Alex in your response.
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Professional Musician workshop series - Workshop No. 3
Workshop with the amazing saxophone sensation, Jess Gillam - 30 March at 7pm.
‘Gillam….spreads the joy’ The Times ‘Britains next top musician – delete the ‘next’, she is a star already!!’ Az Badena Tagblatt.
After having her performance at the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ described as ‘the indisputable highlight’, Jess now performs with major orchestras such as the Halle, RPO, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Brno Philharmonic.
She tours the world performing in major venues including The Lincoln Centre (USA) as well as the major European concert halls.
Jess is also the first ever saxophonist to be signed to Decca Classics and her debut album ‘Rise’ shot to number 1 in the Official UK Classical Charts. She is also the youngest ever presenter for BBC Radio 3 with her weekly show ‘ This Classical Life’.
Not to be missed, Jess will be joining the Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Music Service collaboration of inspiring musician workshops on 30 March.
Students and tutors email music@coventry.gov.uk to register for your link and include any questions you might have for Jess with your email.
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