As the number of Music Manifesto signatories rises steadily, we decided it was time to have a look at what you're all getting up to in the world of music-making, and see how you are embodying the key aims of the Manifesto in your work.
Someone who's been blazing a trail in encouraging all primary school children to sing is Andy Silver with his Pop Connection project. Andy spends a week at a time in a school, teaching specially written songs to the children and then producing their very own CD in a mobile studio.
As well as building confidence in singing and giving the children a real sense of achievement, the project also helps the school forge links with the local community, by putting on a concert of the songs in a local church. Pop Connection is a Christian Trust, but the songs focus on universal values of love, truth, respect, reconciliation and forgiveness and children from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds have taken part in the project.
Andy has just finished a busy week at Tonge Moor Primary School in Bolton. Headteacher Anne Read is delighted with the results and has seen the children go for it with gusto. From year one through to year six, she told us not one pupil had griped about taking part and attendance during the week was the school's best ever. Anne said the project had been a great confidence booster for the kids and is hoping some of the children who've found their voices might now go on to join the school choir.
We caught up with Andy to get the lowdown on his week:
Monday
I got to Tonge Moor on Monday morning for a 9 o'clock session with year six. I played them some examples of the songs we were going to sing and taught them some basic singing technique to give them some foundation.
I taught them two songs in an hour and the reaction was amazing. I always bring in a PA system and as soon as I put the backing track on they're surprised at the whole sound and style of the project.
Tuesday
Tuesday's timetable was the same as Monday - after year six it's an hour with year five, then year four, year three and half an hour with years two and one together. We learnt another two songs. It's hard work but they were really into it. You get some year six boys, they're just about to go to high school, they're asking the question, is this cool or not? But within the first 15 minutes I've won them over, simply because they really do enjoy the music.
Wednesday
By close of play on Wednesday we'd learnt the eight songs. There was one song we did with year four that I wasn't sure if we were going to get in time but I can always adapt to the ability of the children. The choruses are so catchy even the less able children are always able to take part.
Thursday
Thursday is recording day. There was a fantastic reaction to the mobile studio. We brought in a big mixing desk, monitoring, eight microphones and two computers with Pro Tools. They were all quite overwhelmed by all the equipment.
We start with a warm up and then record the songs in sections. So we spent five minutes working on the first four lines of the song, getting it polished, then the next four, then the chorus and so on. It demands a lot of concentration, although what I find is that once they establish the pattern and they realise the level at which we're working they can work up to longer sections. They're truly exhausted after an hour and a half.
Friday
On Friday we mixed the CD and sent it off to be printed and duplicated. Now there'll be a concert next Thursday at St Andrews Methodist Church, a massive concert with a big PA system - a proper pop concert.
The kids have to work hard for what they get, it's not delivered on a plate. They have to produce the sound. I say that the more you put into it, the more you'll be dead pleased with the finished thing. It's all centred round that - the kids really believing that they can do this.
For more info: www.popconnection.co.uk
Now click below to find out what the children thought and hear the results.