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"You don't necessarily have to be highly skilled for music to be fun," says Christina Coker, Chief Executive of Youth Music. "It's the very business of being able to take part, to think, 'I can do it with others.'"
Christina says: "Music and music making should be available to every single child." And it's not something that should be just for those who are dedicated to their practice or who showed talent from a young age. Music is a vital source of joy for everybody. It bonds people and there should be plenty of room for laughs too.
In 2001, Youth Music organised The Big Sing in Yorkshire, with 1500 children singing together. Christina says, "The basic act of making music is fun. It's exciting and inspiring. Music is a social activity on the whole, and getting together and being able to create something is fun."
Down in Plymouth, they enjoy their junk percussion. Soundhouse, at Estover Community College funded by Youth Music, has workshops in everything from primary school dance to African drumming. Their band, 'Weapons of Sound' played their junk percussion for the 2002 Commonwealth Games Ceremony. One girl who took part said, "I didn't know playing a milk crate and plastic sticks could be so much fun." Tutor, Phil Spurr, says, "Music brings people out of themselves and breaks down barriers. They move out of their comfort zone into the adventure zone."
Parents from the Islington Music Centre in London, agree. Sarah Wallace says, "For my sporty sons to give up Saturday morning football in favour of choir shows how much fun and enjoyment they get from their music." A workshop with the Harlem Gospel Singers prompted one child to say, ""The workshops were brilliant. The singers made us laugh a lot and at the end of the session I couldn't believe how much better my singing had become." A parent of a four year old reports the impact of one singing session: "He loved the monkey and crocodile song so much that he wouldn't go to sleep until I'd sung it with him three times - this went on for a fortnight!" And a parent of a 14 year-old notes: "He practises the guitar for at least two hours every night. He'd be a genius at Maths if he'd put in the same effort at that!"
A charity, Tribal Tree also funded by Youth Music, takes in teens for free training in sound production, engineering and vocals. Team member Charlotte Hersh: "One young person who came to us didn't really enjoy music but he was very, very talented. About a year down the line he was enjoying his music. He said it was what he wanted to do in his life." In this case, some support and group activities made music enjoyable. Charlotte believes that, "Music is the hook for young people to channel their talents, skills and potential into something creative and rewarding. The kids that come here, they do their music, they're happy, they're somebody."
Spreading the word that it's not always about piano practice and solo lessons is an ongoing process. Charlotte says, "If their peers see them doing music like this they'll think 'I'll try that.'"
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