Blacon Early Years

Camerata musicians in Early Years Project

Throughout autumn 2008 Camerata musicians Naomi Atherton and Rachael Clegg had a weekly residency at Blacon Community Trust, Chester. The project focused on using song and music, often via traditional rhymes, singing games and lullabies, to help the small people of the Creche group to build their singing, listening, and co-operation skills; and the young mums and babies group to help develop bonding and communication between parent and child. The young mums involved also created their own songbook as a record of the project so they can continue using these songs in the future, and even taught our musicians new rhymes and songs, reviving the concept of an aural tradition.

Dalcroze specialists Emma Dixon and Bethan James worked alongside Manchester Camerata musician Amina Hussain to introduce traditional songs, rhymes, improvised tunes and sound effects to the children at the Campus.

Here’s what a few of the mums who took part thought…

“It was good fun, I felt a bit nervous at first but it helped to build mine and my son’s confidence in singing.”

“I felt a bit silly at first when we had to sing but towards the end I felt more confident and could see that my daughter really enjoyed it. She copies with her doll and sings to her!”

This project was part of the Chester Festivals Education Proramme in partnership with Manchester Camerata; a year long programme of work funded by the Bank of America charitable foundation.