Last week as part of the ‘Arts Week’, I was invited to spend 3 days in the music department of a school for children with mental disabilities. I was asked to make 8 pieces of music using sounds the children had made and which the more advanced children could play along too. Over the first two days I sampled all the children playing percussion instruments and making any sounds they could. After sorting out all the samples I put them together as a slowly building loop that I could perform live using my MPC and other instruments. Then the children could add there own sounds and dance around to the live music. On the last day the whole school was involved in a performance infront of the parents and teachers. The theme was ‘Seasons and Elements’. For each season and each element there was a different piece of music and a different dance. The performance went brilliantly and everyone had a great time. I thorougly enjoyed working with the children and teachers at the school and hope the be invited back for another performance.
Here is a little sound sample of one of the workshops we put together on the first day.
Music Therapy Workshop at Montacute Special School July 2011 by memotone
A recording of the live performance shall follow shortly!
Enjoy!