Figurenotes development in Scotland will receive a boost as a result of a special visit to Helsinki by Drake Music Scotland from 21-24 August 2011.
Hosted by creators of the system Kaarlo Uusitalo and Markku Kaikkonen at the Resonaari Special Music School in Helsinki, the four-day visit is an excellent opportunity to share inclusive music knowledge and practices as well as further develop our Figurenotes partnership working.
Figurenotes is a notation system which has proven effective in helping people of all ages with learning disabilities to read music and play instruments such as keyboard and guitar. Drake Music Scotland received an Inspire Fund award from Creative Scotland in 2009 to pilot the system across Scotland and to date we have worked with over 1500 children and adults and trained over 100 teachers.
The itinerary includes an international seminar titled Music for All for around 50 music teachers from Finland, Estonia and Latvia at which Drake Music Scotland will be presenting “Music in Scottish Special Schools” as well as a visit to Kuitinmäki secondary school in Espoo.