In Focus: Music in the Community

Image for Beyond Words - ESRC Festival of Social Science 2017 music intervention event
This module will introduce students to the practical applications of music to encourage and expand their understanding of the ‘real-life’ uses of musical skills.
A series of lectures will cover the concepts and skills required to carry out music work, before students apply these in practical situations.
Students will actively learn about positive social impact through placements. These community interactions help develop interpersonal skills, skills in community music, confidence building, meeting a diverse range of people and learning about musicality where no specialist music knowledge is required. This module is open to non-music students.

The Arts for positive change

The students will gain the skills necessary to facilitate music in community settings through placements where they will work alongside music professionals.
They will gain real-life experience in music which can be used in jobs relating to music therapy, community music, social prescribing and teaching.
They will work with groups such as children, disabled people, refugees and dementia patients.
Music for memory

Opportunities include:

  • 'Teaching in schools

  • <Community music

  • ÉMultimedia composition

  • FOrchestral work

  • ÄInstrumental teaching

  • ?Music therapy

  • )Composition work

  • ÄMusic GCSE coaching

  • 3Beatbox workshops

  • 4Choir coaching

  • }Instrumental performance

Back to Music project

Charlotte Storey was a saxophonist and actress before an accident and life-changing injury put an end to her career.
The Back to Music project led by Dr Núria Bonet (with the kind support of Arts Council England) has enabled disabled musicians to return to instrumental playing by providing technology and repertoire that supports their abilities. This is the final concert of the project with Charlotte Storey, which has brought musicians, students and researchers together in the shared aim of enabling a return to music.

The Music for Memory at Saltash was a unique experience to be engaged with. We were able to connect with the community through Christmas songs and dance, seeing a notable difference in their cognitive and motor skills during the session.

As an onlooker, I was able to feel a shift in atmosphere as the session went on. Some patients who appeared quiet and frail, finished the session talkative and happy, which took me by surprise. I was, at first, reluctant to believe that music could provide an impact on people with dementia to such a degree that it could reverse or halter the damage that it causes to the brain. However, after this session, I was able to see why this non-medicating technique can work and my outlook on it being applied as therapy changed completely.
Natalie Morgan, BA (Hons) Music

What have our students gained from their involvement?

  • Large professional CVs
  • Insights into professional working practice which feeds into modular study and their professional outlook
  • Professional references
  • Assistance in further education application
  • Prestigious performances with valuable network opportunities
  • Professional etiquette
  • Professional advice from industry contacts
  • Professional confidence
  • Wages (Some students have earned a thousand pounds plus, because of their involvement with our opportunities)
  • Employment whilst studying, or upon leaving the University of Plymouth.
  • An advantage over many of their peers

Academic staff

Nuria Bonet, leads this module and has practical experience as a composer and a project manager for community arts events such as the f.ex. Back to Music project which brought together disabled musicians and Music students.

The sounds of Queen Canute

Former ICCMR PhD student, Nuria Bonet, now a Lecturer in Music at the University talks about her project on musification of data her composition Queen Canute, for seagulls and clarinet.