Sing Up Beyond the Mainstream is a programme of 14 individual projects, all tied to the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, which are designed specifically for vulnerable and disadvantaged children. Examples include projects for looked-after children, foster children or refugees, disabled children or those in hospital.
The Birmingham gathering was a chance for all involved to share what they've learnt so far, and it was a fruitful exercise according to Kathryn Deane, Music Manifesto deputy chair and leader of the Power of Music workstream, who has been acting as a consultant and advisor for Beyond the Mainstream.
"It was a very useful couple of days," says Kathryn. "We're encouraging the projects to build a community of practice, so the learning can be shared among themselves and then with the wider world. The idea is not just to create great music with disadvantaged children, but also to learn how such projects can be made better for the future."
On the second day, the doors were thrown open to the wider music world, particularly music services and children's services, to give them a taste of the work and its benefits - "so that we were talking not just to committed musicians but those wanting to know what this work was going to do for their own bottom line," explains Kathryn.
"We had a series of meetings and panel discussions and explored some music technology with them. And again, a very rich and fulfilling day came out of that.
"The work [of Beyond the Mainstream] is clearly worthwhile," she adds. "The way that people are carrying out the work is good music practice and good community development practice. If we continue to think of both of those things being equal and needing to be developed in harmony, we've got the model right."
This News story was originally published by Music Manifesto, the campaign to improve music education 2004 – 2010.
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