On The hoof - 2009
On The Hoof was our new creative music-making project for 2009. Over the course of 6 weeks between Jan - Mar, Ewan McVicar and Christine Kydd worked with 262 Primary 3, 4 and 5 pupils from the 6 Carse of Gowrie primary schools (Invergowrie, Longforgan, Inchture, St Madoes, Errol and Abernyte). Ewan and Christine worked with the children to create some new songs and learn some old travellers' tunes. The songs all use traditional melodies and the lyrics, in part, tell about the lives of the schools' communities - but also about the lives of travellers. We also worked with children from Double Dykes Travellers' site in Perth, delivering traditional tin whistle workshops.
Each school has now recorded and produced a CD with their songs and stories on it. These CDs can be purchased through the schools as part of the pupil's enterprise project, with all profits going towards school funds.
On The Hoof culminated in a large sing-a-long concert in Perth Theatre on Mon 2 Mar 09, with the pupils from all the Carse of Gowrie schools involved.
sOUNDWAVES 2007 - 2008
BANG BOP BASH (nov 07 - mar 08)
Six primary schools in North Perth participated in the Soundwaves Bang Bop Bash project. This project was linked to our Classical percussion artist in residence in March - Colin Currie. Together, Colin Currie and Tom Bancroft (director of ABC Creative Music) visited schools to create new pieces of music using percussion instruments and voices. The project was aimed at senior primary pupils (ages 9 - 12) with over 90 children involved.
Each school received ten workshops which focused on rhythmic work using vocal sounds and drums. The children worked in small groups, as well as whole class groups. In small groups, they produced raps accompanied by home made shakers. In large groups, they worked on verbal rhythmic games and various drumming patterns. All schools attended Perth Concert Hall for a one day rehearsal the Friday before the final performance.
The concert was held on Sun 27 Apr 08 where all six schools performed all raps and drumming pieces composed during their workshops. The concert was an interactive, promenade performance, beginning in the foyer and ending in the main auditorium, with all audience members and participants singing a newly comissioned song, I Carry You.
TALES AND TALAS (Nov 07 - Feb 08)
Every primary school in Highland Perthshire participated in the Soundwaves Tales and Talas project. we programmed the Scottish band Session A9 with Indian Percussionist Trilok Gurtu in a project linked closely to the schools' programmes ‘A Curriculum for Excellence' and ‘Education for Citizenship'.
Over 150 children worked with Scottish singer/songwriter Jim Malcolm with his team of musicians from Session A9 and a Tabla player. During the 8 session process they learned about Indian rhythms (Talas) basing their own Scottish folk songs on these. With support from Gordon Gunn, fiddler from Session A9, they created melodies which were arranged into parts for instrumentalists. Each school had a visit and rehearsal with the full Session A9 band before coming to Perth Concert Hall for final sessions.
On Sun 2 Mar we held the Tales and Talas concert. The schools performed each of their songs accompanied by their band of Session A9 and Trilok. The professional bands also performed individually with explanations about Indian and Scottish music. All the children were up on their feet dancing by the end in a great celebration of wonderful cross cultural creative music making.