Chris is providing ‘Lifemusic’ Sessions to three Children’s Centres funded by the University’s S.E.C.C. programme.
The Sessions give a new approach to music with improvised sound and rhythm and are developing how the ‘Lifemusic’ approach can be used within the early years settings.
There are no wrong notes; every sound has a meaning; we’re all musicians.
• Chris provides a whole range of musical instruments from the usual to the unusual.
• He encourages everyone to take part using instruments, everyday materials and voices .
• Children and adults explore in an imaginative way the sounds they can make.
• Chris. Uses a range of activities – including bubbles, parachute games, stories and puppets – as vehicles for ‘Lifemusic’.
The precepts of LIFEMUSIC are:
» We are all musicians
» There are no wrong notes
» every sound has a meaning
Music made in a ‘Lifemusic’ session is improvised; its creation is for the enjoyment, benefit and well-being of the participants not as a performance. It allows opportunities for a wide range of exploration and expression.
Lifemusic is inclusive and enables adults and children to enjoy being creative; to communicate these experiences in many different ways and different levels together.
THE CORE VALUES OF ‘ Every Child Matters ‘
The core values include:
» Healthy living
» Personal development
» Social development
» Emotional development
» Joy and achievement
» Education
» Family relationships
» Play
CONTENTS OF LIFEMUSIC SESSIONS.
The four essential ingredients underlining the Lifemusic precepts are:
» Improvisation
» Participation
» Communication
» Wellbeing
I believe they offer an approach which supports the ‘Every Child Matters’ core values.
IMPROVISATION
Anything can be translated into music and the possibilities for the theme of an improvisation with children and families are numerous:
» Using a theme already in use:
» Puppets
» Fabrics
» Stories
» dance and movement
» The outdoors
» Ideas led by the children
» Making their own musical instruments to use in the session
» Bringing something from home
» A particular celebration (I.e. birthday, holiday,)
» ideas led by the parents or carers
PARTICIPATION.
The Lifemusic experience is one of participation and community; children and their parents or carers; staff team members; visitors. Families having opportunities to explore and enjoy new experiences together and continuing with aspects of it for themselves at home using objects around them, home made instruments and their voices.
COMMUNICATION.
“Speech, language and communication are crucial for every child’s ability to access and get the most out of education and life”
(Every Child Matters, Dept of Health)
LIFEMUSIC provides a wonderful vehicle for communication . Music is universal; it’s there from the sound of the mother’s heartbeat in the womb to emergence into the world ! Sight, sound and touch come together in ‘Lifemusic’ through facial expression, tone and use of voice, sounds of ‘instruments’, the feel of vibration and movement, use of imagination, laughter, every day objects…………
“Musical improvisation is analogous to spontaneous conversation” (Sloboda and Bolton 2002)
WELLBEING
Emotional, Physical and Social wellbeing underpin the ‘Every Child Matters’ framework .
Lifemusic provides a wide range of experiences which positively promote these key aspects of wellbeing.
PROVISION.
60 minute sessions or as appropriate to the particular group.
.STARTING POINTS.
Chris will give a free ‘Lifemusic’ taster session to Staff Teams to enable them to experience it, reflect on its use with the families they work with and the development of the Lifemusic approach over the period of sessions and its benefits for the future.