The YMI Programme in Aberdeenshire delivers a wide variety of projects to whole classes in primary schools, including Kodaly, bagpipes, and djembe drumming, to name but a few. We also support innovative approaches in experimental electronica and music technology, with young people creating digital content for their own films or animation that they work on with artists.
This year, Fèis Rois is delivering a music project to primary schools in the Fraserburgh area, focusing on life transitions and exploring how music is used to communicate stories, emotions and history. Enjoy this wonderfully catchy song that was created from the Fèis Rois project in 2020/21 titled “Fit Like the Day?”.
Jenny Sturgeon and Adam Ross will be working with six rural primary schools in the K&M area. "Where I Am" invites children and their teachers to explore the nature, local ecosystems and landscape around their school. The focus is primarily on music making, but the project will be cross-curricular, linking to the environment and creative writing whilst delivering health and wellbeing benefits through outdoor learning. Click on this button to listen to the fabulous songs produced in previous years.
children playing guitars outside
Adam Ross and children at Strathdon School's "Where I Am" project 2023
YMI funding also supports teaching staff in their classroom music provision. This year, Steve Sharpe and Dave Martin are delivering engaging and interactive drumming and percussion sessions in ten primary schools. This includes fun and highly interactive music sessions for pupils, and will also include up to 12 hours CPD for existing teaching staff, enabling them to continue sessions after the project has finished.
Drake Music Scotland ensure that children with significant, severe and complex additional support needs receive the opportunity to compose and perform their own music through the use of technology and resources tailored to their individual needs. This project is delivered across all Aberdeenshire’s Integrated Community Resource Hubs and Special Schools.
Here is a link to Drake Music Scotland’s 2021/22 project “Dr Who in Aberdeenshire”. Dr Who in Aberdeenshire - Drake Music Scotland 2021/22
"Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer and educator who fundamentally believed that music education should belong to everyone and that singing should be at its centre. Kodály inspired music education is a child friendly game based approach which is systematic and well structured.
Involvement in a Kodály inspired music education curriculum potentially raises the standard of music education, helping to bridge the gap from school to studying at university or conservatoire level.
Research has shown that good music education involving active singing participation will not only help develop musical skills but will also enhance numerical, linguistic and social skills.
The Kodály approach is used in many schools, universities and choirs across Scotland not just within NYCOS. Our Active Learning through Music programme links directly with the outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence."
Aberdeenshire's YMI Programme delivers Kodály sessions throughout the year to children from nursery to P7.
This was taken from the NYCOS Website. If you'd like to read more, click on this button
Still image from the film "Dr Who in Aberdeenshire"