The Music Workshop Company Blog

Each month the Music Workshop Company publishes two blogs. One blog, written by the MWC team addresses a key issue in Music Education or gives information about a particular genre or period of music. The other blog is written by a guest writer, highlighting good practice or key events in Music Education. We hope you enjoy reading the blogs.

To contribute as a guest writer please email Maria@music-workshop.co.uk

Posts tagged “SINGING”

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What teachers should know about young people’s vocal health

Posted on 30th June 2023 at 16:03

This month, singing specialist Olivia Sparkhall shares her top tips for helping young singers look after their voices. It’s a topic that Olivia has developed a wealth of expertise in as a choir trainer, an award-winning choral conductor and as a secondary school music teacher for over 20 years.

With her new book, A Young Person’s Guide To Vocal Health, available now, Olivia reveals some key advice – and dispels some myths – to help teachers support their students to stay healthy and get the best from their voices.

Our Favourite Home Learning Resources

Posted on 30th March 2020 at 17:54

At a time when more families are engaged in home learning, the MWC team wanted to share online resources that might be useful over the coming months.

The resources cover general advice for Home Learning, reading, music, art and languages.

Music for Peace

Posted on 31st August 2018 at 14:30

21st September is World Peace Day, or the International Day of Peace. It was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly, and, in 2001, the General Assembly designated the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.

This year’s Peace Day celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the theme is The Right to Peace.

Image: Paper Cranes, Children’s Peace Memorial, Hiroshima

How Should we Sing these Songs?

Posted on 17th April 2018 at 15:00

While planning a recent singing workshop, MWC’s Artistic Director, Maria, had cause to reflect on the names and lyrics of songs, how the meaning of some words has changed, becoming sensitive, controversial or unacceptable, and how some aspects of music might impact workshop participants.

Wales – Land of Song

Posted on 15th February 2018 at 16:00

The feast of Saint David, patron saint of Wales, falls on March 1st, the date of his death in 589 AD. Saint David’s Day has been regularly celebrated since his canonisation in the 12th century. To celebrate, we are exploring the music of Wales.

Wales holds a special place in our hearts here at the Music Workshop Company; firstly because it’s the home nation of founder and Artistic Director, Maria, and secondly because of its apt and joyful reputation as “Land of Song”.

Nursery Rhymes – Literacy, Imagination and Identity

Posted on 14th June 2017 at 14:30

Nursery rhymes are traditional poems sung to small children. They often contain historical references and fantastical characters, and many have been rumoured to have hidden meanings.

The earliest nursery rhymes documented include a 13th century French poem numbering the days of the month. From the mid 16th century children’s songs can be found recorded in English plays. Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man is one of the oldest surviving English nursery rhymes, first appearing in The Campaigners, a play written in 1698 by Thomas d’Urfey (1653 -1723). Interestingly, D’Urfey, active as a writer in the days when the term ‘wit’ was held almost as a career epithet, also composed songs and poetry and was instrumental to the evolution of the Ballad opera.