Since doing our Battle of the Schools Bands event at the Hexagon in Jan 2010.. we have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to work more closely with schools and help bands write songs and improve their technical ability. I wrote the band coaching programme with Mic Harrison , our head of drums, and we are pleased that it’s helping kids learn an instrument in a band. The kids’ are really enjoying themselves and they are really creative with coming up with ideas for songs.
It’s not easy learning to play a musical instrument, in fact, I respect anyone who tries, whatever age they start. Playing in a band requires more than just technical ability. You need to work as a team, listen to eachother, be tolent of other ideas and then put it all into a 3 minute song. We ‘ve just had a really good session tonight with 6 new bands at The Gateway Building in Theale Green School tonight and it is inspiring to work with Kids who want to learn playing music.
Don’t get me wrong, its not always easy.. some days it takes a while to get kids motivated to play.. i know with my own kids that you have to pick the right time to lead and then the right time to back off and let them be creative.
I am absolutely amazed by the kids at The John Madejski Academy [JMA] Both year 7 and year 13 guys are so motivated to want to play music that they stay behind after school on a Friday and pay with their own money to participate in the programme. JMA have make us feel very welcome they treat us are part of the team and the kids really are fantastic. Here’s a link to the JMA arts site.. http://www.jmaarts.com/bandcoaching.html
So why do we do this?? … there can only be one answer.. and that’s to help kids learn to play music in a fun and educational way which is personal to the needs of the student..
As Leah Mills at JMA puts it… …”The Reading Rock Academy programme feels part of our Music department; it is not an “add-on”, it is very much a part of the way we deliver music in an individualised way; and together we provide opportunities for the bands to perform.”
This was the REASON I set up the music academy in the first place to help kids learn to play music whatever style they are interested in. Reading Rock Academy is not just about rock music – it is about an attitude to learning to play modern music. We don’t receive any funding for this and I rely heavily on respect from students and a good relationship with parents. When teaching music, I believe it’s up to us teachers to make learning music fun and we have to constantly find new ways of trying to keep kids interested.
Thanks to all the parents and students – rock on!!
I am humbled and very fortunate to work with people who want to learn..playing music is a great feeling.
For More details are our band coaching programme http://www.readingrockacademy.com/Band_Coaching_Programme.html
