As announced in the Daily Echo last week, Starting in September, pupils at three Southampton primary schools will be getting lessons in rap and hip hop alongside their other subjects thanks to a £65,000 grant from Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

The project is being led by Southampton Music Hub, and will see pupils and teachers from Bassett Green, St Monica and Weston Park Primary Schools work with inspirational rap artist Rob Bradley.

Matt Brombley, Development Manager from Southampton Music Hub, explains:

“Rap is the perfect artform for this project because, to be a successful rapper, you have to blend so many important skills and qualities. It requires both written and spoken language development; rhythmic and melodic flow; as well as self understanding and self expression. Young people in the city tell us they love rap music, and we’re tapping into that enthusiasm to help make sure that what happens in the classroom is as exciting and inspiring as the music they’re passionate about.”

The project goes much deeper than performances and workshops, and will see class teachers bring rap music into weekly music and english lessons too.

Rob Bradley, Rap Artist, explains:

“This project is so exciting because we will have time to develop relationships throughout the year. Over this time, pupils will develop their ideas and build their confidence, with teachers getting the support they need to deliver their own authentic and engaging rap lessons. I really look forward to meeting pupils and can’t wait to see what they write!”

Kath Page, Manager of Southampton Music Hub adds:

“This is a unique project, both in design and outcomes. We are using music to help pupils who may struggle in other areas of school life. This is a real collaborative process, with the hub working closely with Rob, and schools, to make the outcomes even more meaningful."

The project has been supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, whose significant investment will help pupils to benefit from the same inspirational power of music which changed Rob’s life growing up.

Catherine Sutton, Head of Programme - Education, explains

“PHF is delighted to be able to support this project, which will bring together children, teachers and musicians to explore how a co-constructed approach to embedding rap into Music and Literacy learning can support children’s engagement, enjoyment and progress in learning.”

Rob Bradley shares more:

“Like many young people I needed an outlet for my thoughts and emotions when I was growing up. When I discovered rap music around age nine I fell in love. It was a world of limitless self expression. The rappers I listened to had a hypnotic mix of passionate performance, captivating stories and clever one liners.”

“Young people can have complex ideas. They are coming to terms with their identity and their place in the world. They need tools to be able to express their developing thoughts. I hope to inspire young people to write. I want them to pay attention to their use of language. I want them to be confident enough to perform and own their work, and I want them to have fun whilst doing it.”

James Baillie, Cabinet Member for Education at Southampton City Council (SCC), says

"At SCC we are determined to provide the best possible start to life and opportunities for our young people. This exciting project is an excellent example of creatively using the power of music and a medium they love to provide the children with key skills they need. I look forward to seeing the results!"

This week Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs launch a new “10 Minute Sign & Sing” series — weekly videos to help children enjoy making music safely in class, and at home.

All the songs include step-by-step instructions to help everyone enjoy singing along, as well as signing along using fun and easy Makaton signs.

Whilst Covid-19 restrictions mean that, for some, whole-school singing assemblies may not currently be possible, these quick ten minute videos can keep music at the heart of daily school life in a new way — as part of class or year group “bubbles”. As an added bonus, videos can be sent home to children self-isolating, so that no one misses out on making music this year.

Makaton Foundation says:
”For those not familiar with Makaton, it is a unique language programme that combines signs, symbols and spoken word to aid with communication and understanding new ideas. Using Makaton with Singing is a fun and easy way to learn to use signs with singing for young children. Signing and singing have been shown to encourage the development of communication and language skills and are beneficial for vocalisation, confidence, social skills, emotional development, well-being and self-esteem.”

Each week the team will be creating video resources covering two songs: one for Early Years and Key Stage 1; and the other suitable for Key Stages 2–3. Children with Special Educational Needs can join in with whichever song they like best — all the songs come with Makaton signs and instructions, and can be enjoyed by everybody.

The music hub has partnered with Welsh National Opera as part of this project and their fantastic vocal practitioners — opera singers and workshop leaders Emily Rooke and Dalma Sinka — will be creating the videos for Early Years and Key Stage 1.

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:
“By keeping videos quick and accessible we hope to encourage regular, short singing, to take place on a daily basis in a well-ventilated classrooms and homes throughout the year. As government guidance outlines, singing a little and often is absolutely possible and we believe the health and wellbeing benefits that come with this are absolutely vital to children and young people.”

10 Minute Sign & Sing is part of the Everybody Sing Song Bank:

Southampton and IOW Music Hubs are celebrating Black History Month with Calypsonian, musician and educator, Alexander D Great. Thanks to exciting new digital resources, children and young people will gain a fascinating insight into the music of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as an understanding of Alex’s experiences growing up as part of the Windrush Generation.

Each set of videos features performances of Alex’s unique Calypso songs; storytelling in the Griot style; historical background to Windrush, and the origins of Calypso; as well as help for schools to compose their own calypso music. These digital resources are available for all schools in the region, with versions suitable for ages 5–18 years old.

During the month of October, Alex will also be visiting the Isle of Wight, thanks to a collaboration with hub partners The New Carnival Company and the Isle of Wight Heritage team. On Wednesday 14 October 2020, will be performing and speaking about his experiences at an evening event in Brading Roman Villa .  

Also, in February 2021. Southampton and IOW Music Hubs will follow up this resource with a Calypso writing project, led again by Alexander. This will focus on writing songs telling pupil’s own stories from lockdown and the lasting effects of Covid-19 in their lives.  

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:
“Alex is such an incredible polymath and I can’t wait for them to enjoy his colourful evocations of the past and present through songs and storytelling. His enthusiasm and engaging style will no doubt captivate pupils’ imaginations and inspire their creative responses. As part of the recovery curriculum this year it is vital that we give pupils the space for self-expression and to rebuild their relationships with each other through shared experiences while still safely offering them the same high quality opportunities we always have which I believe this project does”

Southampton Music Hub has new sets of resources to support music-making and learning at home and in schools this week.

Instrumental Newsletter

A weekly newsletter for instrumental musicians, to go alongside online music lessons, and instrument specific resources being sent directly by instrumental teachers.

Curriculum Newsletter

A weekly newsletter for those missing out on classroom music sessions.

Music Technology

Resources for making use of iPad and other digital apps, including video guides from expert musicians on how to write your own songs.

Soundbites Digital

This week, the first of ten weekly sessions for First Access musicians is heading out to schools and families that are missing out on their Soundbites and In2Music lessons. Learning music from across the world, over ten weeks, young music-makers will use their voices and any percussion they can get their hands on — or just their hands — to explore melody and rhythm.

Think your school or family should be taking part? Get in touch

Southampton Music Hub is launching the first of a series of regular activity newsletters designed to support pupils, teachers and parents with a musical learning framework in the coming months.

This initial resource has a variety of activities for Key Stages 1–2 which are appropriate to complete either in school or at home. After Easter the hub will aim to provide two weekly newsletters created by the hub’s specialist curriculum team.

Each newsletter will follow a similar structure and include signposts to cross-curricular links. Activities will include guided listening; practical tasks; a research topic; digital and creative music making ideas; and music staves and notation worksheets.

The team would welcome feedback including ideas for genres, topics or types of activities pupils, parents and teachers would like to see included — get in touch and the team will do their best to take on board your suggestions.

Pupils at Banister Primary school have been experiencing African music first hand through performance and listening. 

Thanks to music teachers from Southampton Music Hub, pupils have used a full set of African djembe drums, and have learnt the different drumming techniques needed to play simple African rhythms. They have also learnt to sing traditional African songs and have used the drums to play and sing together.

All classes are working towards a final performance at the end of term.

A member of school staff says:
“We're really impressed — the rhythms sound very complicated and they all sound so good — pupils are loving it.”
 

As the new school year starts, Southampton Music Hub is working in schools and across the community to deliver its ambitious programme of life-changing music for the year ahead. Through first access, instrumental and vocal tuition and city ensembles, every child has the opportunity to perform and progress. Through the Stadium Tour, every child will have access to inspiring and inclusive music experiences, with world class musicians touring around the city's schools. Everybody Sing will help everyone to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of singing . The Family Music Programme — including Family Singing and a new Family Rock Jam, along with the return of the Family Orchestra — will help all families share the life-changing power of making music together.