KEEPING CREATIVE AT HOME
We’ve compiled a treasury of musical activities on and offline to keep the music flowing in your lockdown lives. Whether you’re looking for something to get creative with the kids, keep your musical muscles flexed or simply to watch and be entertained, check out these suggestions from us and our partners.
FAMILY FUN
Bash the Trash
This Make Music Day, join Bash the Trash Environmental Arts in raising awareness about waste pollution by building fun instruments from found objects! The performers and educators of Bash the Trash are offering their innovative designs for wind, percussion and string instruments for an exciting new approach to building instruments together. Made almost entirely from everyday refuse, these amazing instruments tackle issues of waste and offer us an opportunity to look at ‘trash’ in a new way.
Download the resources to get started
Lockdown Sound Challenge
No matter if you’re a classically trained pianist, you’ve just had your first online guitar lesson, or if you just love the strange sound that your washing machine makes, we want you to join us in a special Make Music Day challenge by recording your own audio samples. These samples will then be chopped up, spliced together, looped and manipulated into short musical pieces by the Lockdown Sound Challenge producers and premiered on 21 June.
Get involved here
Family Zone
Looking for music for your children learning a new instrument? Need the right equipment to accompany your family band? Musicroom offers all you need for family music fun in one place. Browse their large catalog for music you can learn and play together, instruments and fun games.
Singing with Kids
Check out our Ambassador, Elin Manahan Thomas’s Twitter account for lots of singing fun with kids
MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER
Bring me Sunshine Competition
Feeling competitive? Take part in our competition for best cover version of the MMD anthem, Bring Me Sunshine, in partnership with Hal Leonard Europe.
Create a solo version, record a virtual choir or make a perform-at-home version.
Find more information here
Need help recording or filming? Find tutorials in our Resources.
Virtual Choirs
From The Great British Home Chorus and The Sofa Singers to The Virtual Scratch Orchestra and The Self-Isolation Choir, this is the sound of community music groups now.
This format has come into its own during the coronavirus pandemic, with heaps of virtual choirs and orchestras springing up all over the internet. To take part, all you need is a phone/computer and a pair of headphones. Here are a few virtual UK-based ensembles you can join to help you feel part of the musical community, keep your spirits high and stay creative while isolating at home. Sing/play as if no-one is listening because they won’t be! Read the full article by Hannah Fiddy on the Alternative Classical website.
Auld Lang Syne Participation Opportunity
We invite musicians of all levels to join this year’s global Make Music Day celebration, and to participate in our exciting Auld Lang Syne project. This classic Scottish song takes on a new poignancy in these times of social distancing, as it acknowledges the importance of friendship and human connection.
Find out more info here
Be a Disney heroine with ABRSM
For this year’s Make Music Day ABRSM are creating a virtual ensemble and they want you, your students, your friends and your family to star in it! They’ve chosen How far I’ll go from the Disney film Moana for their ensemble, music that also features in our Singing for Music Theatre syllabus at Grade 5. Open to instrumentalists and singers.
Get involved
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Global Song Circle
Global Song Circle is a new global community music project which teaches a new easy to learn song every month with a different teacher and singing group each time. The idea is to inspire and encourage groups, individuals and families to learn the songs and then sing them in their communities on a monthly basis and on Global Days of Unity weekend, to feel connected in their communities and also around the world, through singing. Sing in Zulu with this month’s song!
Play On
Play on is a new section of the ABRSM website that has been created in order to encourage musicians to Play On during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’ll find a stream of exciting courses as well as competitions and a chance to share performances and experiences.
Hal Leonard Europe’s Ukulele Challenge
Part of the ethos of Make Music Day is that it is open to absolutely everyone, no matter their playing ability – and it’s not too late to start! There’s no better instrument to take up as a complete beginner than the ukulele. To help get people playing, MusicRoom has a special uke offer of 25% off a Pure Tone Deluxe Soprano Ukulele and best-selling tuition books, Ukulele From The Beginning and the Hal Leonard Ukulele Method, Book 1 – see here for details. Can you take up the challenge, and learn to play the Make Music Day official anthem, Bring Me Sunshine in time for 21 June?
More info
Learn how to play Salut D’Amour with Nicky
Our Ambassador Nicola Benedetti recently taught Elgar’s Salut d’amour through daily YouTube tutorials. In teaching this beautiful piece, she explores topics including sound production, vibrato, how to choose fingering and bowing and storytelling and expression.
ISM Music Directory
If you’re looking for a professional music teacher, the ISM Music Directory is the best place to look. The ISM Music Directory is the UK’s only online directory of verified professional musicians. You can refine your search by location, instrument and genre, depending on where you are based and what kind of teacher you are searching for. All music teachers on the directory are members of the ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians), the UK’s professional body for musicians. Find a music teacher.
WHAT TO WATCH
Make Music Day live streams – 21 June
There’s going to be a huge range of performances, workshops and music-related talks streaming throughout the day on 21 June. Check out the events listings here.
Concert Roulette
Missing live concerts? So are we! Get to know new pieces with Alternative Classical’s Concert Roulette.
Unplugged
Browse loads of fantastic performances on the Plugged Facebook Page for alternative and avant-garde production and visuals.
