About our music workshops

HemiHelp's music workshop scheme is for children with hemiplegia aged 5-16. Here you can find out about the workshops and what they involve.

What can music workshops offer?

The workshops are all led by music graduates or students from some of the top music conservatoires in the UK, who provide an energetic and fun-packed day for all. As well as gaining musical experience, the activities on offer help children to develop other physical and mental skills.

These include:

• improved hand-eye co-ordination
• social development
• improved confidence and self-esteem
• reduced feelings of isolation – meeting other children with hemiplegia
• the opportunity to express themselves through music
• improved musical skills and feeling of accomplishment
• a fun day out!

After a successful pilot scheme at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London in 2006, from which some members got to play at the 2007 Children Helping Children Concert, we are now taking the workshops across the country, and have already held a very successful workshop at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

What happens in the workshops?

Image © Chris Roberts.

The workshops usually run for four hours (including lunch break) and include:

• physical and vocal warm-ups
• workshop games
• learning songs and singing in harmony
• instrumental demonstrations
• learning and creating music using percussion instruments
• a chance to try out other instruments
• demonstrations by children of their own skills if they have bought their own instruments
• boom whackers (human xylophone!)

The day concludes with a whole group ‘performance’ of the music they have learned and created throughout the workshop. The workshops are suitable for 5–16 year olds and are tailored to meet all the children’s needs, aiming to involve each individual child equally.

Feedback

Here's what some of our members have to say about our Music Workshops...

“Thanks for a great music day. It was excellent! We now already have a left-handed recorder in our possession via Reach, so thank you. (We) can’t wait to get started!”

“Thanks very much... you really pulled out all the stops to put on a really energetic and meaty workshop. The leaders were all charming and created just the right atmosphere with a lovely light touch.”