From: Music for Change [sara_at_musicforchange_dot_ccsend_dot_com] on behalf of Music for Change [info_at_musicforchange_dot_org]

Sent: 23 December 2016 11:12

Subject: Winter Newsletter 2016

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

As we approach the end of the year, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and wish you a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Below are some of the projects we have been working on in 2016 and also some ideas for celebrating Chinese New Year 2017. Our office will be closed until Tuesday 3 January 2017 but we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

With best wishes,
The Music for Change Team 

 

 

Cliftonville Community Singers 

Thanks to funding from the People's Health Trust and the Overstone Fund (through Kent Community Foundation), we started a community choir in Cliftonville, Margate in the summer of 2016. 

The group is open to all, free of charge and meets every Tuesday evening at 7.45pm at Cliftonville Community Centre, St Paul's Rd, Margate, CT9 2DB. The choir has already performed at two community events and is growing in membership every week. Please come and join us to meet and sing with others from the community! We sing all genres of music and group members can pick songs. The new term begins on Tuesday 3 January 2017.  

 

 

Live Music events

Seckou Keita: 22 Strings

On Thursday 17 November we proudly presented world-renowned Kora player, Seckou Keita to a sell-out audience at Ramsgate Music Hall. Music for Change volunteer Saffie Halke managed to catch a few words with Seckou before his performance. Read the interview here.

 


Folkestone Harbour Arm

From March to the end of September 2016, Music for Change delivered an exciting programme of music events at Folkestone Harbour Arm. We programmed 59 acts for 36 days of music and all activity was free to audiences. We presented a varied programme of excellent performers including Grupo Lokito, Bafula, U'Zambezi and Cocos Lovers.

Global Sounds

On Bank Holiday Monday in August we descended on Dane John Gardens in Canterbury to present our free annual celebration of world music and diversity, Global Sounds. We had a brilliant line-up including Family Atlantica, the Ceilidh Liberation Front, the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, Emmanuel Okine & the UK African Acrobats and DJing from Feet to the Floor. It was a great day out and we were lucky enough to enjoy some sunshine too! We would like to thank our funders for making this event possible: Arts Council England, PRS for Music Foundation and Canterbury City Council.

 

 

Porchlight Music Groups

In the Summer we released our charity single with homeless charity Porchlight to raise funds to continue weekly music sessions with Porchlight service users. 

The music workshops have been vital in providing a space for residents to be creative, improving their well-being and confidence and providing a sense of community for those who are vulnerable, isolated or marginalised. The workshops have also given participant's new skills in music-making and lyric-writing. For service users who may be homeless, at risk of becoming homeless and whose lives are full of uncertainty, the weekly music group has provided a welcome element of stability.  

Since the funding has come to an end, the group have been looking for new ways in which to continue these vital workshops so released a charity single called Summer, in which all proceeds will go directly to continuing the music sessions. The participants wrote the lyrics, sang, rapped and played instruments on the track. Porchlight service user, Sarah says, "I think it's been a really amazing music journey so I really do think that Music for Change has helped me and supported me. We don't want to lose Music for Change as its been life changing and it's our lifeline."

To help Music for Change and Porchlight continue this work, you can donate to Porchlight Players by purchasing the single on their Bandcamp page, here.

 

 

Composed: Musician's Development Programme 


In September we began a second project in partnership with Skillnet CIC. The project gives young musicians with learning difficulties or autism opportunites to develop skills in playing instruments, composing music, writing lyrics, and rehearsing in a band. There are also opportunities to play gigs in the local community and to record music at West Track Studios, a community studio in Canterbury. Running for two years, Composed is a high quality music mentoring programme and draws upon the skills of Music for Change's talented music leaders with expertise in enabling young people with learning difficulties or autism to discover their own musical talent. Read more here.

 

 

Chinese New Year  

28 January 2017

Find out about the traditions, customs and stories linked to the celebration of Chinese New Year in one of the following workshops and performances:

  • Chinese traditional & contemporary dance workshops and performances
  • Chinese traditional & contemporary storytelling and ribbon dance workshops and performances
  • Chinese circus skills workshops and performances
  • Chinese magic performances
  • Origami workshops

Book online here or call our friendly staff on
01227 459243. 

 

  Music for Change| Reg Charity Number 1063706 | Tel: 01227 459243

Email: info_at_musicforchange_dot_org | www.musicforchange.org

 

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Music for Change, Fruitworks, 77 Stour Street, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2NR United Kingdom