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SonicExplorers

IntroductionSonicExplorerswasSoCoMusicProject’smusicprogrammeforyoungpeopleinchallengingcircumstances.Thishasseenusdeliverweeklymusic-makingsessionsatToynbeeSchoolHiVisClub(anafterschoolmusicclubforstudentswithvisualimpairments),CedarSchool(aschoolforyoungpeoplewithcomplexphysical,healthandlearningdifficulties)andPolygonSchool(aschoolforboyswithcomplexemotionalandbehaviouralneeds.WehavealsodeliveredafamilydayinpartnershipwiththeNarcolepsyUnitatSouthamptonChildren’sHospital,whichconsistedofavarietyofmusic-makingactivitiesforyoungpeoplewithNarcolepsy(asleepdisorderthataffectsapproximately.05%ofthepopulation)whilstprovidingavaluableopportunityforparentstotalktoeachother,creatingasupportnetwork.

OurOutcomes• IncreasethemusicalcompositionandperformanceskillsofChildrenandYoungPeople

withSpecialEducationalNeedsand/orDisabilities • Increasedskillsandawarenessofmusicleaders,teachersandsupportstafftoreduceor

removebarrierstomusic-makingforSEN/DYoungPeople • Improvedsenseofwell-beingofchildrenandyoungpeoplewithSpecialEducationalNeeds

and/orDisabilities Anumberofkeyinterimindicatorswereestablishedandtheseformthebasisoftheevidencesoughtandemergentthroughouttheevaluationoftheprogramme.

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OurApproach

Ourmusicdeliveryprogrammewasframedwithobservation/consultationandplanningsessionsatthebeginningoftheprojectwhichwasvitalingivingastrongfoundationofknowledgeandunderstandingofourparticipants’needs/interestsfromwhichourdeliverymodelandapproachwasdesigned.ToynbeeVIUnitWeworkedwithagroupofstudentswithVisualImpairmentsthroughavarietyoflyricandsongwritingactivitiesthatwereintroducedanddevelopedovertheproject.Thisincludeddevelopingideasfromthe‘StreamofConsciousness’techniquetowritingfroma‘themedstimulus’.Inadditiontothisstudentshavelearnthowtocomposeinstrumentalpiecesusingprofessionalstandardrecordingsoftware.Towardstheendoftheprojectwetookthestudentstoourprofessionalrecordingstudio,Hightown,torecordtheirmusicalcreations.CedarSchoolMusicdeliveryatCedarSchoolconsistedofgroupmusic-makingandone-to-one/twosessions.Thesesessionstooktheformof‘freeplay’sessionsinwhichstudentswereoffereddifferentinstrumentstoexploreasagroup,withasupportmemberofstaffthatprovidedimprovisedfeedbackorphysicalsupport,whenneeded.Thisapproachembracedfreeplayasameanstoprovidestudentswithspaceandtimeforindividualexpression,itutilisedastructuredassessmentprocedure,followingwhicharepertoireofindividualisedactivitieswasdevelopedandenrichedoveralongprocessofembodiedlearning.PolygonSchoolMusicdeliverytookplaceatourrecordingstudio,Hightownandhasseenanincreaseinmusicalskillsinlyricwriting,raptechniques,performanceandrecordingwhichhashadasignificantimpactontheengagementandexpressionofyoungpeoplefromPolygon.ArtsAwardwasembeddedintothisprogrammetogiveyoungpeopleanopportunitytogainvocationalskillsandhaveapositivecreativeoutletthroughmusic.CPDInterspersedwithourdeliveryprogrammewasaseriesofCPDsessions,bothreflectiveandfocussed.Thesereflectivesessionsbroughttogethermusicleadersworkinginthedifferentsettingstoshareexperiencesandpedagogicalapproachestoengagement.OurfocussedCPDincluded‘Music&Mindfulness’-MatthewHemson,‘MakingMusicTechnologyaccessible’-RickyTart,‘FacingChallengesthroughMusic’-GoldsmithsUniversityand‘CreativeandCredibleSeminar’-WinchesterUniversity.

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ChallengesAccessibilityofequipment&softwareforVIStudentsatToynbeeByemployingDavidShervill(whohasvisualimpairment)asoneofthemusicleaders,wewereabletointroducesomeadaptationstotheequipmentforourparticipantswithVisualImpairment.Forexample,demonstratingthemagnificationfeatureswithinthelaptop,applyingraiseddots/bumponstothekeyboardandalsotothesoundcardandspeakerdials,toenabletheparticipantstofeeltheseeasily.Thekeyboardkeyswerealsomarkedforthosewithsomedegreeofvision. Non-verbalorsemi-verbalparticipantsatCedarSchoolLearningprocessesforourparticipantscouldnotrelyonprompt-basedactivities,butonfeedback-basedactivitiesinwhichthesensoryandcommunicationalneedsofthechildren,individuallyandasagroup,weretakenasthemainleadforthedevelopmentofactivitiesandsessionstructure. StructuringSessionsinCedarSchoolTheintegrationofdifferentinputsandlearningtrajectorieswasachallenge,asitwasnotalwayspossibletostructurethefullsessionintoclearlydistinguishedformsofinstrumentalengagement.Theimplementationofgroupingtechniquesandassessmentofthecompatibilityoftheinputsofdifferentparticipantsenabledustodesignflexiblestructuresthatcouldbeadaptedtothecontingenciesofeachsession.Attimesitwasnecessarytoprovideparticipantswithaquietspace,wheretheycouldhearandlookateachother,becomingawareoftheirsounds,facialexpressionsandgraduallyencouragethemtodeveloptheexpectationofamusicsession. SchoolenvironmentsSchoolsarebusyandnoisyenvironments,wherethingsaresometimesdoneinarushunderthepressureofschedulesandtimings.Increatingaresponsiveenvironmentitwasessentialtocreateaquieter,non-rushedatmosphereinwhichstudents’vocalisationsandmovementsweregraduallyintegratedintoagroundingofgentlevocalisationsandarepetitiveinstrumentalpattern.

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Reflectingonouroutcomes

OUTCOME1IncreasethemusicalcompositionandperformanceskillsofChildrenandYoungPeoplewithSpecialEducationalNeedsand/orDisabilitiesAllofourparticipantshaddifferentmusicalstartingpoints.Categoricallyallwereinterestedinmusic,with60%interestedinsinging/vocalisations,someshowedpreferencestowardsdifferentinstrumentsandsomearticulatedinterestsindifferentmusicalgenres.Inmostcasesourparticipantsarticulatedatthebeginningoftheprojectthattheylackedconfidenceincomposition(89%ofourparticipants)butconfidenceinperformingwashighinourparticipantsfromPolygon(92%sayingthattheyfeltconfidenttoperforminfrontoftheirpeers).ThiscouldbereflectedasananomalyasourattitudinalbehaviourinourparticipantsfromPolygoncouldbeconstruedasbeingoutwardlyconfidentamongstpeers,butinrealitythispercentagecouldbesignificantlylower.DirectfeedbackfromourparticipantsatCedarwasdifficulttoobtainastheywerealleithernon-verbalorsemi-verbal,sothedatathathasbeencollectedislimitedinthesensethatitreliesonfeedbackandknowledgeofteaching/supportstaffandmusicleader.However,withthatsaidthesupportstaffknowtheparticipantswellsothedataisstillreliable.

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“Theyallconnectedwiththesongwriting/composingprocessandexpressedthemselvesfreelywithcreativity,enthusiasmandpassion”–MusicLeader

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Bygatheringthisbaselineinformationwewereabletostronglyevidencethatoverthelifetimeoftheprojectyoungpeople’smusicalcompositionandperformanceskillsandconfidencehasdevelopedandincreased.Butmoreimportantly,thishasbeenachievedandsupportedinawaythatisuniquetoourparticipantsandourindicatorsshowthatinallsettingsitwasnecessarytocreateanenvironmentandbuildtrustandfamiliaritytoachievethisoutcomesuccessfully.“Ihavelearntloadsaboutwritingsongsandhowtoputthemtogether”-Participant KeySuccessesByofferingadiverseselectionofinstrumentsforstudentstoengagewiththissuccessfullysupportedanincreaseinmusicalcompositionthroughimprovisationandperformancethroughsensoryinteractionatCedarSchool.Drums,shakers,bellsets,xylophones,cabasas,maracasandasetofchordophoneswereusedinverydifferentwaysaccordingtothesensory-motorandinteractiveneedsandpreferencesoftheparticipants.Wealsousedsomeassistivetechnologylikeskoogs,ipadsandsoundbeam,thoughonlyareducednumberofparticipantsprioritisedtheuseofthesedevices,whichofferedlimitedsensoryfeedback. ‘Freeplay’sessionsatCedarencouragedphysicalfamiliarityforparticipantswithasounddeviceoftheirliking.Theincreasingfamiliarityofthestudentswitharangeofwaysofusinganinstrumentortriggeringasound(througheye-pointing/movementtriggersinsupportedplaying)ledtomoredetailedandindividualformsofinstrumentalperformancethatwereusedforfurtherstructuringofthesessions.

“Theprogressionofmusic-makingskillswasintertwinedwithgivingparticipantsthechancetoexploreandconstructtheirmusicalidentities.Itwasevidencedthatgroupperformancetriggeredrequests

(eye-pointing,finger-pointingorvocalisations),celebratoryvocalisationsandmusic-making,andawarenessoffeedbackloops(participantsmakingspecificactionsknowingwhatthefeedbackwillbe)"–MusicLeader

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OUTCOME2Increasedskillsandawarenessofmusicleaders,teachersandsupportstafftoreduceorremovebarrierstomusic-makingforSEN/DYoungPeopleWe’vestrengthenedrelationshipsatCedar,PolygonandToynbeeSchools.Theresultofthishasbeenthatmusicleaders(ofwhichtherewere5deliveringacrosstheproject)feelmoreconfidentandbetterequippedtosuccessfullydevelopbespokemusic-makingprogrammesthatrespondtoyoungpeople'sneedsandmusicalaspirations.Theserelationshipshavefosteredanincreaseinengagementbyteachingandsupportstaff,albeitwithvaryingdegrees,butthereisenthusiasmandanincreaseinunderstandingasmusicleadershaveworkedcollaborativelytodemystifythepotentialofmusictosupportwiderdevelopmentaloutcomesforyoungpeople.Thishasbeenachievedbybeingresponsive,flexibleanddiverseensuringthatwesupporttheneedsandaspirationsofourparticipants.

Ourunderstandingofthechallengesthatourparticipantsfaceacrosstheboardhasimprovedthroughincreasedknowledgeofthingslikeschedulingconstraintsofschoollife,thecomplexcareneedsofindividualparticipantsandhowthatcanaffecttheirgroupinvolvement,theprominenceofgroupworkandwhateffectsthatcanhaveontheidentificationofcomplex,lessobviousneedsofstudentsthatdemandlessattentioninagroupsetting,thepoliticsaroundtheimplementationofcareplansthatcanbeperceivedindifferentwaysbydifferentpeople(teachers,areaspecialists,parentsetc.).Therearelimitationstoevidencingthisoutcomeinthat,attheendoftheproject,skillsofteachersandsupportstaffhaveincreasedandthereforethepotentialtoreduce/removebarrierstomusic-makingforSEN/DYoungPeoplehasalsoincreased.Wearekeentofollow-upaftertheprojecttoseewhetherthiscontinues.

“I’vedevelopedtheabilitytobeflexibleandspontaneousinmydelivery.ThisprojectaffordedmetimetoexpandmyskillsetandteachingtechniquesthroughfocussedandreflectiveCPDsessions.Itwasalearningcurve”-MusicLeader

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“Staffhaveastrongerassimilationoftherelationshipbetweenmusic-makingwithparticipantsandtheirexperienceinsensoryintegrativeactivitiesandintensiveinteraction.Theirunderstandingofthiswaslessintheformofconceptualised/theoreticallearning,butembodiedintheirpractice”–MusicLeader KeySuccesses Initialconsultationandplanningsessionsweresuccessfulinenablingamoreinformedandconfidentstartingpointfortheproject.Wecouldinitiatetheexploratoryprocesswhichproducedthefeedbackthatgroundedtheplanningandstructuringofsessions,knowingbetterwhattoexpect,whatequipmentwasneededandsettingexpectationsandmeasurabletargets.Theknowledgeexchangewithinthesesessionsenabledustodeveloptrustingandmeaningfulrelationshipswithkeystaff.“Thekeytotransformingmypractice/deliverywassharingknowledgewithteaching/supportstaff,applyinginformationlearntanddeliveringwithanewlyinformedsensitivitytoindividualparticipantsneeds”–MusicLeader OurmusicleadersdeliveringmusicsessionswithforVIparticipantsheldweekly‘FaceTime’meetingsthatwerebuiltintotheproject.Thisenabledpractitionerstofocusandreflectonindividualneeds,implementingstrategiesforeachstudent’smusicaldevelopmentandpersonalgrowth.“Musicsessionsaredrivenbythemusicalinterestsoftheparticipantswhichisgreat”-TeachingAssistant Havingamusicleaderwhoisvisuallyimpairedprovedtobevaluableinrecognising/assessingparticipantneedsandhewasalsoabletorelatetotheirexperiences.Davidusedhisexperience/knowledgeofvisualimpairmenttoworkcollaborativelywithJim’sexpertiseasamusicleader,enablingustoovercomepotentialobstaclesquicklyandefficiently,ensuringthatourparticipantshadawell-roundedmusicalexperience.“Ihaveawiderunderstandingofwhatmusicinaspecialschoolcanbe”–TeachingAssistant AtCedarSchoolsupportstaffhadlittletonofamiliaritywithmusicsessionsandoveralltheirconfidencewaslowatfirst.Itwasveryimportantforsupportstafftounderstandandhaveconfidenceinthewaythatinstruments,inmanycases,wouldbeusedunconventionallyorincounter-intuitiveways.Theyhadfamiliaritywithsensory-integrativepractices,whichthemusicleaderencouragedthemtouseinthesessions.Thiscreatedacooperativeatmosphereofsharedfacilitationinwhichwewerelearningfromeachother.

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OUTCOME3Improvedsenseofwell-beingofchildrenandyoungpeoplewithSpecialEducationalNeedsand/orDisabilities SonicExplorershasbroughttogethergroupsofyoungpeople,thatmightnotusuallyinteractandworktogetherandespeciallyinthecaseofstudentsatToynbee,havedevelopstrongbondsandpeerrelationships.Itisdifficultforustosaythatthesesessionshaveaffordedandsupportedanincreaseinwellbeingofallourparticipantsbutwecancertainlyidentifyclearexamplesofwherethesemusicsessionshaveimprovedcollaboration,socialisationskillsandenabledyoungpeopletoconnectwiththeirpeers.“TherenowexistsalovelysupportnetworkamongsttheVIstudentsthatdidn’texistbefore---theynowsocialisetogetheratlunchtimes,andit’slovelybecauseitcrossesyeargroupssothere’sthatpeersupport”-Teacher TherearemanyexamplesofincreasedconfidenceanddevelopmentofinterpersonalskillsoverthelifetimeoftheprojectwithourVIparticipants.OneofthesedevelopmentswasillustratedbyBrandonwhosharedwiththepractitionershisobservationsofhowJackhadfoundhisvoice.WhilstJackwaspresent,BrandontoldusthatJackwasmoreconfidentandthiswasevidentinthewaythatJackwasaskingquestionsandtakingpartmorereadilyinverbaltasksinotherlessons.AstheyearprogressedJoannatooksignificantstridesforwardbycontributinglyricsanddiscussingideasforsongsandmusic.Intheinitialstagesshewasreservedandunsure,butoverthecourseoftheprojectshenotonlytookpartinsingingcommunallybutalsowrote,sangandrecordedherownsong/composition.“Icanconfidentlyconveyemotionsthroughlyrics,whichIdidn’tthinkthatIwouldbeabletodobefore”-Participant KeySuccessesWe’vesuccessfullyidentifiedtheneedtoworkonaone-to-onebasisattimeswithourparticipants,respondingandbeingflexiblewherenecessary.Forexample,Jack,astudentatToynbee,arrivedatthefirstsessionwantingtosingaBeatlessong,buthislackofconfidencewasastumblingblock.Throughacoupleofone-to-onesessionsJackwasencouragedtosingalongwiththemusicleaderandanacousticguitar.ThissupportedawayforhimtonotonlysucceedinsingingthesongbutalsoenabledanelementoftrusttodevelopbetweenJackandthepractitioner.Fromhere,hewasmoreconfidenttoengagewiththegroupsessions. WhilstworkingwithstudentsfromPolygonourmusicleaderstooktheapproachoffocussinginonhowyoungpeopleidentifywithmusicandhowmusictheyareinterestedindefinesthemandcontributestotheiridentity.

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Thiswasparticularlysuccessfulinhelpingourparticipantstofocusinonwhatconnectsthemtomusic,whetherit'smemories,asenseofplaceandhowmusicfeaturesintheireveryday.Itwasfromthisthatwewereabletocreateasupportiveenvironmentforthemtoexploretheirownsituations(whichinmostcasesarecomplicatedandcontributetobehaviouralandsocialissuesthattheyexhibit),deliveringissuebasedworkthatensuredlyricalcontent(performedthroughRappingandMC’ing)exploredtheirownpersonalissuesandlifeexperiences. Asmentionedpreviously‘freeplay’approachesprovidedparticipantsatCedarSchoolwithspaceandtimeforindividualexpression.Musicleadersencouragedtrajectoriesofsensoryadaptationandsocialawarenessinwhichparticipantswereabletobecomeincreasinglyawareoftheroleoftheirplayingwithinthecommunicationalexchangesthathappeningroupsessions,supportingwellbeingwithinthecontextofgroupmusic-making.