Workshops
Most of our workshops focus on groups of children within schools creating original works that are then performed either by themselves or by professional musicians, usually in a public setting. Through our work with the Deal Festival of Music and the Arts we have had children's work performed by leading performers including the Kosmos string trio, the guitarist Johannes Möller and the Sacconi String Quartet.
This year also saw us complete our first project for the Sounds New Festival that had two schools from the Canterbury area joining together to perform Paul Patterson's setting of Hilaire Belloc's poem, Rebecca, at the Gulbenkian theatre, Canterbury.
Guitar Tuition
Our guitar tuition is undertaken in the East Kent area both within schools and in our private practice. Throughout the year we offer opportunities to perform publicly through organised concerts and this year we have started to run group workshops for guitarists focusing on specific issues and techniques associated with the instrument.
Our students are encouraged to study a variety of styles, from classical to rock, along with any particular interest they may have. As well as a chance to perform in public they have the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications through the Trinity Guildhall and Rockschool grade exams.
Bands
We provide a service to groups and bands providing professional advice on how to improve their sound and group musicianship or how to make themselves become more prominent in any particular genre. Our advice can be used before embarking on a studio recording or a series of live performances saving time and ensuring maximum effect from any exposure. This service is charged at an hourly rate for our attendance at band rehearsals and advice is given before booking to ensure that our time working with any group is used efficiently.
Guitar Project Backing Tracks
Through our education work with guitarists we have developed a series of guitar projects to help students develop certain techniques. These projects are available to purchase and download from this site. Each project comes with a score in standard notation with TAB and two mp3 files, one of the backing track with the guitar part removed and the second of the track complete.
Each project is designed to focus on one or more specific techniques, both basic and more advanced. A description of each project explains the techniques explored within it and the level of skill required. Each project is field tested on students within schools and through our own practice to ensure they function in the way they were intended. Samples are available to listen to on this page and the complete project is available from our secure online shop.
Recent Education Projects
The Nature of Change
The Nature of Change was a project in conjunction with artist Will Glanfield and the Whitstable museum funded in part by the Arts Council.
The purpose of the project was to record an approximate two mile stretch of coastline at Whitstable on the North Kent coast using art and electro acoustic music.
Children from two primary schools, Swalecliffe and St Mary's, each spent a day exploring the beach starting a different ends but ending at the central point of the towns harbour. The work they create both on the day and back in the schools was shown in the Whitstable Museum throughout April 2008. The objective was to record the change in the coastline at this moment in time as we move from the extremes of the town's coast to the industrial harbour. This was arranged to happen before planned redevelopment of the harbour takes place.
Video Examples from the Nature of Change project:
'Yacht Club Slipway'
'Stone Drawing with Poem Reading'
'Surf'
Sounds New 2008 - Birdsong
The Sounds New 2008 commissioned Stephen Clee from Blast Creative Music to create an original composition to involve four school from the Canterbury area, Wincheap, Beauherne and Briary primary schools with Simon Langton Grammar school for girls. Soloist Evan Parker, one of the best known free improvisers on the scene today, was to perform along side the schools in a performance at the Girls School on Friday 7th March.
The work was used to explore the legacy of French composer Messiaen and his interest in Birdsong. Students from each of the schools contributed ideas after discussions about his work and his time spent as a prisoner in the Second World War.
The music that they created along with Stephen Clee reflected the emotions and feeling that Messiaen may have felt during his time in captivity. Evan Parker, with his free improvisation, represented the freedom of the Birds whose songs he recorded in his own work.
A recording of the final performance is available free to download from our online shop.
Frustration, Solitude and Rage (excerpt) | |
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Year 7 children from the Abbey School in Faversham produced a three-movement work that was performed by the guitarist Johannes Möller as part of the Deal Festival. |
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Kopanitsa | |
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Music students from Dover Grammar School for Girls explored gypsy and Balkan music to create three works performed by the Kosmos string trio. |
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Whales Song (excerpt) | |
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Harpist Deian Rowlands and flautist Nicola Phillips performed with pupils from Cartwright & Kelsey primary school to bring to life the children's own composition. |
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