Melody, Rhythm and Rhyme

For pre-5’s and their carers and teachers.

This is Artsplay Highland’s Youth Music Initiative Project funded by the Scottish          Arts Council and Highland Council. Music Tutors, Alpha Munro, Steve Sharpe, Monica Neeling  worked with 10 nurseries/childcare providers in the area using Orff and Kodaly methods linked in with the cultural diversity of the children and adults in their respective organisations.  This programme is part of Artsplay Highland’s continuous professional development with voluntary sector organisations and primary schools.

Alpha, Monica and Steve are established music tutors and practitioners in the informal music sector. Alpha has worked with the Feisean movement for 20 years and is the founder of Music Trains, instigating the arrival of Doug Goodkin to the Highlands in 2004 to an Artsplay Training Day in Sutherland. Since then Music Trains has run every year in different formats but always with an Orff tutor at the lead. Monica Neeling runs Music Box and takes classes at Eden Court and across Inverness. Steve Sharpe is know for his African drumming workshops and company Drumfun.

The main objective of the project was to deliver a series of workshops in different forms of traditional/world music linked to the new and upcoming cultures of Inverness, but with the emphasis on the pentatonic scale. Orff/Kodaly methods were used to teach skills to staff/carers in an accessible way. Songs, dances, rhythms, melody and stories were used to share skills with trainees and to provide fun workshops for children.

Skills-sharing was a two-way process –  there may be have been a song or a dance a group knew  from Polish tradition, but they may not have the skills/confidence to teach it to children/family groups.

The tutors  enabled staff to learn the appropriate methods for children under 5.

Trainee Childworkers/Carers:

20 staff took part as direct trainees in the programme as part of their continuous professional development. They attended the initial 2-day introductory course and were present during workshops which Music Tutors delivered in their organisations directly with children and staff/carers.

The training was  hands-on and practical in nature. Trainees delivered 2 demonstrational workshops and an event per organisation with the support of the Music Tutors.

The Library  has information relevant to this programme.