Soundtracks is an exciting programme of creative workshops specifically designed for children in Special Schools. Students and staff work with professional musicians, taking part in a creative musical process and producing high quality performances and recordings. Our musicians are experts at involving all children, whatever their abilities. The workshops also include structured learning and support for teachers, providing the skills and confidence to use music in the classroom.

Soundtracks musicians use a wide range of composition techniques, instruments and visual stimuli to create work with children and staff.  Previous projects have included composing music for a film about Outer Space; making art works from the natural environment; and developing compositions based around machines.  Projects are designed to complement and support existing schools topics.

If you are interested in a creative music project for your school, led by musicians with a lot of experience in this specialist field, we will probably be able to help. We offer five day projects, during which two musicians will be in residence at your school. This doesn't necessarily have to be during one week. The project is tailored to meet the needs of your pupils and school, and there is also an element of staff training in each project. The picture here is of a painting inspired by live music during one of our projects. If you would like to know more or register an interest, please contact us.

As well as including staff workshops within the school residencies, we have run more intense training courses over four days. We are ready to organise more of these courses if there is enough demand - please register your interest here.

We can also offer half-day or one-day workshops in your own school. Staff of any level of ability can attend - you don't need to have any former musical training.

Our aim is to demystify music-making and encourage musical activity to take a central role within the life of the school. If you would like a workshop in your school, you can download an application form here.

The first Soundtracks project was based on a silent film about Outer Space, to which children created their own soundtracks. Teams of two musicians spent a week in each of the ten participating schools, with each school making its unique version. When the ten residencies were over, a collaborative version was produced and distributed to all the schools involved.

To see and hear an excerpt from the film click here.
(Please be patient - the file is quite large and may take a minute or two to load.)