Bricks & More continued.. Who: A2 – Arts Active Where: St David's Hall and New Theatre, Cardiff When: Year Round What: Mixed musical events for pre- school, school and youth groups The Welsh capital's primary concert hall and its most established theatre recently relaunched Arts Active (formerly known as Access All Areas). The scheme aims to transfer musical and theatrical activity into community venues and schools.

It largely recruits freelance musicians for its projects, drawn from Cardiff 's BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Welsh College of Music and Drama and the city's university music department. Around 30 musicians were involved in its work last year.
‘We function a bit like a theatre company' manager David Baxter explains. ‘In the same way that actors would be selected for a particular show, we devise a project, then decide on the most appropriate personnel for it. For example, if a school has many guitars but not much in the way of orchestral instruments, we might send in a bassoonist – but probably one who at least knows something about guitars.'

Though managing a number of gamelan, gospel singing, DJ-ing, African and steel pan drumming projects – as well as a project for adults with learning disabilities and physical disabilities – Arts Active's focus has mainly been on nursery and school-age projects.

‘Because it was a collaboration with the SureStart programme, our Tiddly Prom was literally a tour of Cardiff 's playgroups and nurseries,' Baxter points out. As with Prom in the Primary, the version for older children, Tiddly Prom musicians visit schools and – where possible, in Welsh – demonstrate their instruments. When a special skill is not locally available, Arts Active will look across the border for expertise. ‘If we were to do a yodelling workshop,' Baxter jests, ‘we would have to get a specialist in!'
In the case of a recent gamelan workshop, he used London contacts who – over the course of a few years – trained members of the group to deliver gamelan sessions themselves.
‘They now do school workshops and join in with other gamelans,' Baxter adds, ‘but occasionally we bring in a specialist to do a masterclass. We always prefer to use local ability – but it's about getting the best people for the job that's sustainable.'

David Baxter
St David's Hall
The Hayes,
Cardiff CF10 1SH
Tel: 02920 878571
st.davidshallreception@cardiff.gov.uk
www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

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Who: Music House for Children
Where: Shepherd's Bush, London
When: Year Round
What: A not-for-profit dedicated to nurturing musicality in children

Set up by early years specialist Emma Hutchinson in 1994, Music House for Children is much more than a private school for talented toddlers.

It is a kind of hub for early years music in west and central London . Five full-time staff manage more than 300 registered tutors, allocating them chunks of timetable in their own Shepherd's Bush premises or sending them off to local schools and homes.

The demographic ‘varies wildly and we really push for inclusion', according to primary and secondary manager Paula Steel. ‘The best thing is that children who pay fees get mixed in with those on subsidised places. It's really fascinating because all that doesn't matter. It's all about them and what they've got to give as people.'

Music House also assists referral units – such as the local Bridge School – to rehabilitate children excluded from school.

And it supports children selected by the Early Intervention Panel, which attempts to provide creative diversions for potential delinquents. Music House says more than 3,000 children are involved in its projects, which range from drum and percussion workshops to individual instrumental lessons, recording studio sessions and extended holiday period workshops. It all culminates in a children's concert three times a year.

As if that wasn't enough, it also provides training for new teachers and runs a sheet music and instrument shop to supply families and educators.

Bush Hall 310
Uxbridge Road
Shepherd's Bush
London W12 7LJ
Tel: 020 8932 2652
www.musichouseforchildren.co.uk