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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:
For all the latest news visit our news page on our website.
We have had a lovely start to the year, with lots of exciting new projects launching and coming soon.
Over the past half term, we have begun lots of new and exciting groups in Drapers’ Hall across Monday to Wednesday evenings. These have included a stunningly successful launch of our new Tuesday evening choir led by Vicky Clayton and Inclusive provision with Creative Sounds. If you are interested in coming along and trying our groups please visit our website Coventry Music Groups to sign up or come along.
Come and Try is the theme of our Open Days in partnership with Soundabout and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain this half term. With Come and Try events for choir and instrumentalists – no previous experience needed, see below for more details or visit our website.
For schools looking to develop music provision our team are happy to meet and discuss provision for the remainder of this academic year or begin organising your provision for 22/23. Students are also able to now access direct billed provision across Monday – Wednesday evening at Drapers’ Hall, as well as at schools across the city.
Finally, we had a great evening at Drapers’ Hall last week, led by the creative team behind the Cultural Cantata programme. We are excited to have begun to share the songs of his exciting project with students in the city, building towards over 1000 students performing in the summer term, for family and friends.
We are pleased to announce we will be running two days of come and have a go events at Drapers' Hall and a range of workshops and sharing performances in partnership with the National Youth Orchestra
This half term we will be opening up Drapers to anyone would like to come and have a go on a brass, woodwind or strings instrument and find out more about out new home at Drapers' Hall, meet some of our tutors and discover just what we do at Coventry Music. We would love to meet some of the children of the city and introduce them to the magic of playing an instrument, so bring them along to make music with us.
We will be holding two open days on Sunday 20 February and Tuesday 22 February between 3pm and 5pm. Everyone is welcome but we do ask you to complete our quick registration form so we can see who will coming to join us. Rgister for our come and play event.
On Sunday, at Drapers' Hall, we will also be running a flute workshop in partnership with National Youth Orchestra from 3-6. This is open to all flute players including complete beginners. There are 15 spaces available, so book your place quickly to avoid disappointment.
If you are interested in playing the flute, or right at the start of your musical journey as a flautists then come and take part in this creative workshop with NYO tutors and musicians who will help you to explore what is wonderful about the flute and making music! You will be able to get inspired and hear NYO and NYO inspire flautists in a live sharing performance at 5.30pm
Everyone is welcome to stay for the sharing performance with a small £1 charge to attend, for those not taking part in the workshop.
Sign up for the flute workshop.
NYO and Coventry Music will also be holding other workshops at Lyng Hall throughout the week. Download the full brochure and sign up for any of the workshops.
Our fantastic new groups, alongside some of our more established groups, are now up and running at our new music centre at Drapers' Hall, Bayley Lane.
We are running a mix of groups at our music centre at Drapers' Hall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, with a range of groups for all instruments and abilities across the three days.
We still have spaces for new members so please come along and give us a try.
Our groups will be free for the spring and summer terms of 2022, so it is the perfect chance to come along and try out one of our groups. We are welcoming new members, and you are welcome to stay for more than one group or session, according to your level and ability.
You can see the full range of groups we offer and sign up for any that interest you on our website.
(Times and groups are still subject to change - all members will be notified of any such changes)
The string ensemble and string quartet are pleased to be rehearsing in the lovely surroundings of the Drapers’ Hall, and looking forward to rehearsing their ensemble pieces and solos for their end-of-term concert. It’s been great to have our old members back again and also to get some new players this term. If you’re playing above grade 2 standard and would like to join this challenging, fun and expanding group of young Coventry string players, then get in touch with Cathy Scott-Burt or sign up via the music hub website.
 
We had our first live meeting of the Junior Arts Council in two years on Thursday 20 January, meeting representatives from some of our primary and secondary schools at the Drapers’ Hall.
The reps reported back on what was happening in the creative arts at their school and then reps and teachers were taken on a tour of the Drapers’ Hall building, before Claire Tyler gave a presentation about the many new groups, choirs and ensembles taking place in the building. Next term’s meeting will be hosted by the reps from Lyng Hall School, so do get in touch with Cathy Scott-Burt if you would like to attend.
One of our tutors - Joe Davies recently informed us that one of his students -Madelaine Davis (Coundon Court, Year 9) has gained a place in the National Youth Choir (NYCGB)!! "She has weekly singing lessons at Coundon and worked so hard in the lead up to her NYCGB audition at the end of last month. Lovely news!"
We welcomed young people from the Whitmore Park Annexe (Hospital Education Service) to the Drapers' Hall ballroom for a session exploring the acoustics of the space - through performance of an own song composition for vocals/guitar/conga drums and Abba's Mamma Mia for cornet and piano.
And Cardinal Wiseman student Wiktor Wysocki (year 13) also visited Drapers' Hall to rehearse some of his beautifully evocative compositions on the DH piano - which will be showcased later this year, supported by Kevin Stannard.
Mr Stannard ran two fantastic CPD (Continuing Professional Development) sessions, as well as being able to show some of the local teachers our beautiful new music venue.
The first one - for teachers who will be bringing primary children from across the city to sing in the Cultural Cantata at the end of June. Schools have been busy signing up for the summer singing event which promises to be really exciting!
And the second - for teachers and artists involved in the Arts Connect Aspire! project culminating in a performance in the Cathedral Ruins at the beginning of July.
Back in March 2021, towards the end of the second lockdown, four secondary schools started working on recording a very special song cover of “One Day Like This” by Elbow. “Lockdown Cover” is a celebration of the musical achievements of children from these schools and provides a snapshot into the daily work of music departments, music teachers and tutors. It was a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with other young musicians and create a piece of music with others, all be it remotely, as a positive outcome of the difficult time we were in. We are very excited to have created this video with the help of Dave Mills from “Media Mania” who produced the sound and visuals for this project to create this multi-screen video.
A big thank you goes to Dan Sanford-Casey from Lyng Hall, Andrew Johnson from Coundon Court, Jo Sharkey from Finham Park and Rebecca Leavy from Barr’s Hill School for all their hard work in capturing their musicians so brilliantly showing what they can do. Also to Dave Mills and team from Media Mania for spending a huge amount of time in making all these different videos look and sound amazing!
We hope you enjoy.
*Warning* this video contains some flashing colours and lights which may not be suitable for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Watch the full video.
The Schools Printed Music Licence Explained
Every Copy Counts is a brand new campaign to help schools get the best out of the Schools Printed Music Licence. We are a team of music educators who are here to help and support you to understand and report on the printed music used in schools.
The Schools Printed Music Licence is a major advantage for schools. It enables teachers to copy and arrange music based on a set of straightforward terms and conditions, without any need for you to negotiate or fund the licence.
If your school is photocopying / arranging music under the Schools Printed Music Licence, you are required to share information about this.
In return you can unlock free resources created by teachers on composing and songwriting in the classroom, information on licensing and the music publishing industry, and a free digital pack of Every Copy Counts merchandise.
Visit Every Copy Counts now, start logging your sheet music data, access your free resources and make Every Copy Count!
Next steps
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Visit www.everycopycounts.co.uk
- Register your school on the online portal
- Upload information on what you are copying/arranging
- Unlock free resources!
If you would like to find out more, please sign up to an Every Copy Counts drop in virtual sessions, for a short talk on the Schools Printed Music Licence, and to have your specific queries answered. Virtual drop in dates :
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I am an established member of the Coventry Music Team having worked for the company for five years.
I am responsible for managing the vast stock of musical instruments and have become quite an expert at naming and understanding all the different instruments we use, from Djembe drums, to double bases and Xylophones.
I don't currently play an instrument, but have a burning desire to learn to play the flute or the guitar!
I love working with children, and have a background in support work in schools and libraries. I love music and enjoy being part of inspiring the next generation of musicians in the city and watching the children develop and grow.
I have a degree in design and so I also do all the social media and marketing for Coventry Music, so if you follow our twitter or Facebook pages then its likely you will be reading my posts. I really enjoy marketing and helping share news of all the all the fantastic work Coventry Music does across the city. I also write this newsletter!
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This month Amy Randall has picked one of her favourite pieces of music to share with you. This really is a magical journey of sound and music. If you have never heard then give it a listen.
"War of the Worlds" by Jeff Wayne
If you would like to be involved in this and haven't already signed up then please contact us or visit our website for more information.
 Our Inclusive Soundabout Choir is now meeting face-to-face once a month and online fortnightly.
Everyone is welcome and there is chance for a cup of tea, some cake and a chat after the music making has finished.
This is what one of the parents said about the first Coventry meeting:
"We went to Soundabout's inclusive Choir for the first time last week. My son doesn't always enjoy music as he is very sensory with noises and sounds, but we thought we would give it a go.
From the moment we walked in we were made to feel so welcome. The girls made such an effort to include us all at whatever level we felt comfortable. My son loved exploring all the different kinds of instruments. Karen and Vicky had such a great way of keeping the children engaged and all joining in with the signing and singing.
When my son had had enough, he went to the corridor and had some time away from the group but it wasn't a problem. Vicky took him an instrument out and had a few minutes of 1:2:1 time with him. It was so lovely to be in an environment where the children were free to express themselves with no judgement, which as a SEN parent is priceless. It was a wonderful morning and I cannot wait for the next session."
The choir currently meets on zoom on alternate Saturdays from 11am-12pm. In the autumn the choir will also begin offering face to face sessions in Coventry.
See the choir’s most recent recording.
For more information visit our website or sign up.
choir@soundabout.org.uk 01235 797 474.
Keep an eye on our website for events and exciting news coming soon.
Visit our website for news, information and to find out more about what we offer.
If you would like these monthly updates to include what your organisation is doing for the children and young people of Coventry, please sign up or contact amy.randall@coventry.gov.uk.
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