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Interview: Thomas Coram Centre - Margareta Burrell

The First Steps project was created to establish music in Coram on an everyday basis, and change attitudes towards the importance of music making in early years settings. It also led to a staff training programme which aimed to make the music making sessions sustainable at the Coram centre.

Margareta Burrell from Thomas Coram Centre talks to Bongo Club

Who led the programme?

Margareta Burrell works at the Thomas Coram Centre on a part-time basis, delivering music making sessions with all of the children from 0-5 years of age. She is a trained musician, teacher and music therapist and specialises in Dalcroze.

What was the structure of the programme/activity?

The programme was aimed at 3-5 year olds/ 0-2 year olds. I had to be flexible with the children. So if something wasn’t working I would change it. I would start with an introduction, which was a welcoming activity, where I acknowledged each child with a name game, or a song involving their names. I would make them respond vocally and using hand movements. Then I would introduce a new concept at that stage: something quite high-focused, as they were all fresh into the session. For instance I would catch their attention with an object, instrument, or sound and introduce them to the concept of pitch using very high and very low notes.Soon after this, the children would be itching to move and jump around which I refer to as low-focus activity. I would always let them do this after some high-focus activity. So I would get them to move and respond to the music through their bodies in some way or another. They would then sit down and play some instruments of some sort. The aim I had of focusing on movement with music would be reinforced at this stage when they began playing the instruments. It very often connected the two. Then I would finish with relaxation and a goodbye song.

Did you base the programme/activity on models you had seen in practice elsewhere?

Margareta drew mainly from her experiences and training in Dalcroze and music therapy.

Why do you think it is so important to involve young children in music making?

To develop basic elements such as pulse, tempo, duration and textures of the music. The children recognised the difference between staccatos and legatos when demonstrated in extremes. It improved the childrens’ body awareness, spatial awareness, coordination and balance. Then there is the whole expressive side of it, which is inspired all the time by movement and music. The kids loved exploring music through their own movements.

What are the children’s reactions to music making when you first work with them? How do you see them develop?

The head teacher interviewed them actually! She asked them what they remembered and significantly they remembered movement above all. They called it a dance class and they would say things like “I love going running”!

What were the aims of the programme/activity?

To establish music in Coram on an everyday basis, and change attitudes towards the importance of music making in an early years setting.

Did you achieve them?

That is a very tricky thing to know, but I think so. A year of training was undertaken with the staff to deliver music sessions to the children, and they were very sceptical at first. However, after the next year of training came around, suddenly lots of people wanted to sign up. That was a way of gauging what impact it had had.

What worked?

They had quite little awareness of styles of music, but did remember different instruments. For instance if I bought in an Indian drum or an Indian bell as opposed to a jingle bell – they would remember that. The fact that they would place the instrument in a different context was significant.

What didn't work + why?

The children found sitting down and concentrating for too long quite difficult. The outcomes of the session did not always match what I had prepared, but I don’t see that as a negative thing.

What would you do differently and why?

I don't think I would change too much, but the approach to the music making sessions did have to be flexible, so it's always good to have plan B up your sleve!

Were the outcomes of the programme/activity what you expected?

They were probably better. For instance we didn't realise how popular the sessions were going to be with the parents. They would often ask for songs that they could take home and practice with the children.

Has it led to anything new?

It led to a staff training programme which aimed to make the music making sessions sustainable at the Coram centre.

Author’s credit: This information has been sourrced from Music Leader. Full article click hereCommunity

Funding for music activities

If you're a practitioner looking for funding for music activities, your project could be eligible for funding from Youth Music's First Steps programme.

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