
A Musical Sketchbook Wigmore Hall and Mid Wales Music Trust project – collaborating with children’s illustrator Karen George
“For Year 2 class the realization that music is accessible to all, that it is a response to feelings and thoughts and it can be molded to reflect whatever you want was an important outcome.” (Teacher)
One child, who had challenging behaviour and had been very resistant to participating in any group activities at the beginning of the project said wistfully during the fourth workshop “I wish we could keep doing this”
“I didn’t expect the outcome to be so amazing!” (Teacher)
“I learnt that even if you are doing something you don’t like, it can actually turn out pretty fun, and you like it.” (pupil)
“It was lovely to watch the children flourish and respond to others and have others responding to them.” (Teacher)
“I liked it because it was our own creations of the songs and we could just sit there with each other and have fun” (pupil)
“I liked name and action because you could do your own action” (pupil)
“I learnt that it’s better to work as a group than it is to just keep it all to yourself (pupil)”
“They developed collaborative working amongst themselves whilst observing the excellent working partnership of the adults around them.” (teacher)
“I learnt about the whole thing because we haven’t really done that before in reception or year one” (pupil)
“In our whole life!” (pupil)
“Because no one’s actually come in from far away just to teach us stuff” (pupil)
“I learnt a lot because not many people have actually experienced that” (pupil)
“ I didn’t realise writing a song could be so easy, e.g. lyrics, melody on glockenspiel. Great!” (Teacher)
“This project has really helped me to develop my teaching practice. It’s been great for the children and I’ve learnt so much too.” (Teacher)
http://karengeorge.net/
Awards and Qualifications
Qualifications: BA(Hons), Mmus, Dip(RAM), ABSM
Awards: ARAM, HonBC
Winner of a British Composers’ Award 2016 for Into the Light
Finalist in 2017 Sound and Music Awards
iOrchestra, on which I worked as a consultant, composer and trainer, was awarded an RPS award in 2015
Work on Create’s Inside Stories project at Rochester Prison highly commended in 2014’s Koestler awards
Shortlisted for the Britten Sinfonia’s Opus 2013 Prize