Youth Music Workshops 2024

Music Therapist, Heather Roberts and Teacher, Ryan Higgins, attended two primary schools in June, as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival Outreach funded by Coop Community Fund.

The target audience were primary schools, with year 6 in Lightmoor and Year 5 in Dothill. 

Staff at both schools were enthusiastic and supportive of their students’ engagement in the sessions, which was hugely advantageous. This is with special thanks to Claire Ballische at Lightmoor and Matthew Johnson at Dothill, who also provided a music technology session.

The visiting facilitators provided a mix of percussion exploration, fundamentals of music and a chance for the children to learn the mechanics of playing a brass instrument. The latter was achieved using plastic instruments: “P Bones”! These are played the same as a small trombone but are more cost effective and easier to create a sound on. 

The sessions also sparked discussion between the children, about their musical tastes and their engagement with learning instruments or singing. 

The sessions, whilst educational, also support the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the young people in attendance. 

The participants were encouraged to attend the brass festival weekend and many commented that they would be interested in learning a brass instrument, following the sessions.