Finding new ways to engage with others through a screen has slowly become the new normal. We’ve been inspired by those who we have the pleasure of working with, their innovative ideas and determination to keep the music flowing. Here, Lauren Brant, one of our current Trainee Music Leaders, shares how she’s been encouraging and supporting her pupils to keep creating music, whilst physically apart.
During the lockdown we have all had to adjust to new ways of working and communicating! The primary school where I teach (Dulwich Hamlet Junior School) asked its music team to produce weekly activities to keep our children enthusiastic and engaged with their music making. I decided to make weekly videos on particular topics that aimed to be informative, fun and interactive. For my ‘Body Percussion’ video I took an ostinato taught to participants at Spitalfield’s Skill Lab sessions and gave it a personal twist with an extra section at the end which is created by the participant.
Body Percussion - Lauren Brant
As a recorder player I often play repertoire that is inspired by birdsong and during the lockdown I had been really aware of the amplification of nature. For my ‘Music in the Woods’ video I thought it would be fun to record on location and to encourage my pupils to be inspired by the natural world. This video is aimed at my recorder and trumpet pupils, but anyone could participate by creating sounds on a different instrument or their voice. I learnt a lot from making the videos, in particular that the more planning and rehearsing I did the smoother the filming process went!
Music In The Woods - Lauren Brant
To find out more about our Trainee Music Leader scheme, click here.