Vocal Union aims to investigate and develop approaches to singing in schools, for children, teachers and the school community and to support and establish whole school singing as an integral element of school culture. Expert vocal practitioners facilitate sessions for whole classes, teachers, or both, and work with each school throughout the year to evaluate the effect of singing on the school and its community.
We’re placing musicians over two academic years from September 06 in at between two and four primary schools in each of our Music Service areas (Gateshead, Newcastle, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham, Tees Valley, Northumberland and Cumbria), working alongside class teachers and Music Service staff right across the age range. They’ll develop shared repertoire and approaches to singing that can be adapted to suit the skills and interests of the teachers we will collaborate with, as well as offering a simple developmental singing curriculum and lesson plans.
A basic outline of provision was offered to the participating schools and then in consultation with the vocal leader an individual plan has been made for each of the participating schools. There is huge enthusiasm for the project. A strong theme for many schools is creating a sense of community, taking into account the individual needs of children and staff.
Training is a key part of Vocal Union. We are aiming to create and sustain a motivated, inspirational, diverse workforce who will embed singing as a daily practice within schools. Class teachers, community musicians and music service staff are working together in developing new musical skills and a collaborative approach to curriculum delivery to achieve this.
Vocal Union includes teacher support and training and creative collaboration with teaching staff to develop a relevant repertoire base and resources. We are encouraging participating schools to act as hubs; welcoming other singers from nearby and leading on sharing good practice in the future. Training sessions will also include teachers from neighbouring schools and Music Service teachers.
Teachers are very enthusiastic:
“I am very excited about the project, it will be a great way to bring the school together’
“We’d like to compose our own school songs’
“That hip-hop version of ‘Ain’t Gonna let Nobody’ went down really well and we were amazed that they were able to sing two parts at once. They opted for doing some of their own choreography for the middle 8 (moon walking and ballet!), especially the boys. They also did some rap writing which the children responded to very well, and one of the children summed up the feeling of the group on that when she said of ‘I’m proud to be singing my own song’”
The Sage Gateshead’s Big Sing 2006 - Songs of Six Centuries – which brought over 3,000 children together in a singing celebration following two terms of classroom based work,has provided a great springboard for the project. The enthusiasm with which teachers embraced the material and taught it to their students has been truly heartening - we were totally unprepared for the amazing popularity of Fie Nay Prithee John, a 17th century catch composed by Henry Purcell. Whilst running a workshop in a primary school in Workington, Cumbria, we were surprised by the children asking to perform this song to, and giving a very accomplished rendition in three parts! All credit to their teacher.