Be a music star this summer

Community music is making opportunities for Blackburn’s young people this summer

Two new music projects will take the town’s young people on musical journeys from African beats to beatboxing and beyond this summer.

The Blackburn Music Hub programmes will inject some summer fun into the school holidays with informal workshops in drumming, song writing, music production and band workshops.

Delivered in conjunction with Blackburn Youth Zone and More Music, the classes begin on Monday, August 17 and are free for anybody to attend and no previous playing ability is required to join in.

Starting during the day, Heartbeat, which is aimed at 8 to 14 year-olds, will focus on different drumming styles including Bhangra, Djembe and Samba.

Those who attend will learn about rhythms from South Asia, Africa and South America and will be invited to join in a final performance which fuses all the styles.

This will be followed in the evenings by the Soundtrack sessions, designed for 12 to 18 year-olds, with access to production facilities, songwriting workshops, and drumming sessions.

Blackburn with Darwen Music Hub was also behind two of the town’s schools collaborating with the internationally-renowned Manchester Camerata symphony orchestra to write and perform two new compositions in July.

Hub staff member Sue Ridyard said:

“We have designed this project to give the young people of Blackburn the chance to learn and develop musical skills and try new things. They can come along either with their friends or on their own.

“No experience is necessary. Beginners and experienced players alike are invited to come and play.”

The classes take place from Monday, August 17 to Thursday, August 20. Heartbeat runs from 9.30am to noon and Soundtrack at 7pm to 9.30pm. The cost is just 50p per session and includes free membership to Blackburn Youth Zone.