2014 was a big year for Scotland with the Referendum, Homecoming, Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup hitting the world’s headlines. It was also a time to shine for Drake Music Scotland with more opportunities created for people with disabilities in Scotland to play, perform and compose music than ever before.
Over the past 12 months
- 1040 children and adults participated in our projects
- we created or contributed to 31 public performances
- our projects performed to over 3000 audience members
- we trained 450 musician and teachers
Everyone can play!
- Our schools programme Inclusive Classroom visited 53 schools working with 746 children and young people with disabilities
- Our studio MusicSPACE packed in 7 bands, 38 one-to-one sessions and 2 music technology courses every week
- Our musicians worked with the RSNO to lead 34 sessions in Rachel and Robin house and at childrens’ hospitals in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow with around 50 children
- 140 older people resident in 18 Carehomes in West Lothian took part in Rhythm for Life with 18 participants contributing to an audio-visual installation Transmission which was exhibited at Howden Park Centre, Scotland’s Air Show and Horsecross in Perth in conjunction with Luminate, Scotland’s Creative Ageing Festival
Creating a platform
Our Ovation programme showcases the work of performers and composers with disabilities and challenges traditional perceptions of who is a musician and what musical instruments can be. Our ground-breaking commissions Same River Twice in partnership with National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, Equilibrium with Edinburgh International Harp Festival and the first recording and public performance of The Digital Ensemble in The Deep saw talented young musicians with disabilities perform equally alongside other musicians.
Pushing boundaries
- Our development of Figurenotes software and other resources and our lead in training has been recognised with the award for “Best Special Educational Needs Resource” at the 2014 Music Teacher UK Awards for Excellence
- Devised a set up using an iPad app and Soundbeam which is a cost effective way of enabling up to 8 individuals playing switches and beams at the same time
- We are increasing independent playing for individuals with limited movement using switches and Notion software. We are also using a MIDI based programme called e-scape to give composers greater control inputting and editing notes
- Developed a way to give players more expressive control over long held notes using Logic software on iPads/iPhones with Touch OSC giving
- Working with an individual with only head movement we have developed a switch based drum kit set-up using Soundbeam 5
Leading the world
- Over the year, we received visits by inclusive music specialists from Norway, South Korea, Israel and Australia wanting to find out more about our methods and approaches. We also established new links with Brazil and strengthened our partnership with Resonaari Special Music School in Finland
- We have been chosen to co-host ISME Special Music Conference in Edinburgh in 2016 and will welcome delegates from all over the world with a programme highlighting the latest research and development in the Inclusive Music field
Drake Music Scotland is grateful to the following funders for their generous and much valued support of our work
Creative Scotland
City of Edinburgh Council
Apache North Sea Ltd
Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust
The Bacher Trust
Blackrock
Clothworkers’ Foundation
Daisy Chain Trust
Dave Watson
Edinburgh University Music Society
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Family and friends of the late Martyn Tait
Fife Sessions
Gannochy Trust
Garfield Weston Foundation
Glasgow University Music Club
Hugh Fraser Foundation
Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland
The Maclennan Charitable Trust
Metaswitch Ltd
Nancie Massey Charitable Trust
PRS for Music Foundation
Reverb Events
Rider Events
Robertson Trust
R S Macdonald Trust
Trefoil
University of Miami Frost Chorale
And all our anonymous donors