As we begin our summer break, I just wanted to celebrate and reflect on the wonderful things we’ve been up to this past term. Our weekly programme continues to grow, with over 100 participants of all ages visiting and making music in our learning spaces each week.
We have welcomed our new yoga instructor, Emma Thorlby, who has been providing fantastic, accessible sessions for the local area. We look forward to more morning classes in September.
There are three singing sessions each week, and all of our groups took to the Bar Stage last Sunday to showcase their incredible work and talent. Our Gospel and Soul, Folk and World, and Golden Voices choirs sounded brilliant, with each group having such a unique personality, singing a diverse range of styles, as well as creating a real sense of community.
Our Jazz Workshop participated in this year’s Manchester Jazz Festival, playing to a packed crowd in our Bar before Courtney Pine’s show in the venue. They also had the opportunity to play at Strawberry Fields in Liverpool this June
Fridays are dedicated to our Early Years sessions, which continue to bring in families from all across Greater Manchester, joining Jolanta for some sensory music-making.
We are very honoured to receive funding from the Oglesby Trust and the Jack Lonergan Foundation to support our work with young people. Participants at our Saturday Music Club have grown in number, and we now have two fantastic new tutors, James and Donna, joining Bridget and Tom. Participants performed for friends and family in our main venue to celebrate their incredible work over the term in July. Thanks to our funders, we are able to provide more support, instruments and opportunities for young people to develop their musical skills. We are excited to expand on the great work currently being done.
In March and June 2024, we delivered bespoke songwriting and recording workshops for members of the Year 5 and 6 classes at New Islington Coop Academy, led by Richard Kankondo. Each cohort of students worked over three sessions to produce and record their own songs, which they could then share with their friends and families.
We are so excited for our NLHF funded project, ‘World of Song’ to begin in September – thanks to this funding, we will be working in collaboration with Community Arts Northwest to deliver activities, workshops, and an artist development programme for refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants in Manchester, celebrating heritage through song.
In order to keep our sessions affordable and accessible, our Learning Programme and activities are reliant on funding, income and support from organisations as well as the general public. Thank you to everyone who has participated in activities throughout this past year, and for filling our learning spaces with music, laughter and community.
We look forward to seeing lots of you in September. If you would like to make a donation to support our activities, it would be more than welcomed. You can do so here.
Thank you!
Alice McIlwraith
Head of Learning and Participation