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Since November last year Voces Cantabiles Music has been
working with students at 4 schools in Bedford - 3 of them
state schools - to develop a music based project which will
be conclude with a performance at the end of a 6 month period
of workshops. The programme is being led and supported by
Bedford School as part of their community outreach programme.
Our projects are designed to offer unique opportunities
for students to explore their creativity through music and
the arts. Each project brings together schools and/or community
organisations in a local area and offers them the opportunity
to forge partnerships and strengthen the local education
and artistic opportunities for young people.
The nationwide education programme, titled 'Hatch My Ideas!'
is working with the government initiative, Sing Up, as a
delivery partner and is now running and designing projects
in Haringey, Loughborough, Marlborough, Hackney, Newham,
Bournemouth and Stoke-on-Trent. We are supported in these
areas by local independent schools, music services and organisations
such as The Children's Society and The Worshipful Company
of Musicians. I believe that our programmes, which encourage
creativity, student-led learning and the development of
a sustainable legacy to improve coaching techniques for
staff and students through the arts, could be of real benefit
to other independent schools in the UK.
Both Dr Evans and I agree that this community work also
offers Independent Schools a possible answer to the questions
that will be put to schools through the Public Benefit Test.
Each project that we run enables young people from local
communities to participate in new learning opportunities
that they would not otherwise be able to have, and the support
of an Independent School to enable these projects can prove
vital to a successful and sustainable outcome.
My team consists of 25 excellent young professional musicians
who have been trained as facilitators in the education and
corporate environment. The international award winning vocal
ensemble, Voces8, is the flagship ensemble in the organisation.
We believe that a combination of demonstration, participation
and explanation offers a balanced learning environment,
which is why we work with inspiring young musicians who
are trained facilitators. Our projects offer workshops for
students and coaching sessions for staff and older students
to participate in, should they so choose. Each project that
we design is entirely bespoke and based on the aims and
intentions of the schools involved. We facilitate and guide
students to use project themes and musical starting blocks
to develop their own ideas in their own way.
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