DepARTure - Soundroots, A Music Project for Early Years Children and Staff in Dorset
Project Manager: Hannah Baker, DepARTure
Music Leaders: Nikki Fryer and Pia Kruithof
Specialist support: Christine Page, Jan Keen, Jane Joy - Dorset Music Service
An Early Years Music project called ‘Soundroots’ was delivered in Dorset to develop more music making with children aged 3 to 5 years. Funding was largely obtained from Youth Music with additional support from Dorset County Council, Arts Council England’s Grants and the Dorset Strategic Partnership. In Part One five training sessions with expert leaders in a range of Early Years music making techniques were delivered to teachers and Early Years staff across Dorset. Part Two comprised 6 twelve-week residencies with a Music Leader working with two partnered settings; a nursery or pre-school setting together with a Reception class. Children explored a range of music including world music, they also learnt new songs and musical games, used percussion instruments and shared their experiences with parents, carers and siblings at the end of the residencies.
149 workshops and training sessions took place with 362 children aged 2 to 5 years participating from 13 venues.
Hannah Baker who led the project benefited from travelling to the Sage Gateshead to meet and learn from their extensive early years music programme. Hannah visited a number of settings to watch music leaders in action and took part in sessions on-site at Sage Gateshead involving parents and carers too.
When?
Autumn term 2007- Summer term 2008.
Where?
North Dorset and Portland, Dorset. Rurally isolated settings were targeted.
Impact
The impact of this project was documented through feedback from all staff involved, the two Music Leaders and through a dvd created by another artist documenting children taking part in the residencies. Having a dedicated staff Trainee attached to each Early Years setting worked very well to help sustain the work the Music Leaders instigated.
“I learnt something new after every session. I learnt to read some music, how to play some musical instruments and sing a lot more. I thought music would be hard to do but it’s not and the children love doing it and I have lots of ideas now” – Lead Trainee, North Dorset Children’s Centre.
“I was very impressed at the amount of advisory support I received...I picked up valuable training which led me to a job opportunity that I would not have had the confidence to apply for before. The Music Learning Live conference 2008 was a life changing experience!” - Music Leader for the Portland residencies, Nikki Fryer.
The legacy from this project has been BIG! Two Trainees are now leading music work with other year groups within the schools and Music Leader Nikki Fryer is now employed to run a choir and music sessions with children across the Infant school and beyond into the neighbouring Junior school. Nikki Fryer has worked hard to build further links into music for the children on Portland with connections to Sing Up! DepARTure now has an ongoing relationship with the Music Service in Dorset and a commitment to continue work for the Early Years age range, including becoming a Pathfinder for Earlyarts. DepARTure publish a document containing artist-led workshops for Early Years settings to help promote partnerships with professional artists in the Early Years sector in Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole. In addition DepARTure work closely with the Dorset Early Years team within the Local Authority to target projects and training; most recently developing an artist-led training day in 3-dimensional creativity for EY settings who have achieved ‘Outstanding’ at OfSTED and wish to push their creative practice further.
