Every Child Matters – free music learning to fifteen Riversdale School students
In September 2020, the ‘Every Child Matters – Transforming Lives Through Music’ programme from World Heart Beat Music Academy has kicked off to a hugely promising start at Riversdale School in Wandsworth, SW London.
The project reinforces recent study findings by Dr Leonie Kausel (a violinist and neuroscientist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the Universidad del Desarrollo Chile), and her team. They carried out research with 40 Chilean children between the ages of 10-13 years.
Musical training has so many benefits…
The study has found that musically trained children perform better for attention and memory. Also, through learning music, there is greater activation in the regions of the brain related to attention control and auditory encoding. As a result children benefit from improved reading, higher resilience, greater creativity, and a better quality of life.
The programme, which aims to transform lives through music, provides music learning to students:
- with little or no engagement in music or the arts
- who may face difficult home circumstances
- who do not speak English as a first language
- who may have special educational needs
Generous Funding from The Ironmongers’ Company
The Ironmongers’ Company has generously helped fund the programme to support students who might benefit most. The programme aims to provide children with a creative means of self-expression and engagement, the cornerstone for lifelong learning and development.
Fifteen Riversdale School Students receive musical instrument loan and learning for free!
We are offering music learning on a weekly basis for a full year, and the programme will be free of charge to fifteen Riversdale School students. Instrument loan will also be free, so that students will be able to practice at home, or at school between weekly classes.
With a choice of flute, clarinet or saxophone, the students are taught by World Heart Beat teacher (and professional musician), Milo Fox.
Milo will be making assessments throughout the year to record the progress of each child. All students and their parents will reflect on their learning – thinking about the benefits they have experienced through taking part in the programme.