To mark the beginning of Children’s Mental Health Week, Live Music Now’s Musical Mondays concerts reached over 7,400 pupils in special and mainstream schools across Manchester, Merseyside, and Essex on 5th February!
Featuring Folk Duo, Filkins Drift; Harpist, Alis Huws; and Baritone/Piano Duo, Edward Robinson & Rachel Fright, our online concerts provided pupils with the opportunity to participate and engage with live music, from the comfort of their own classrooms.
The Musical Mondays initiative aims to enhance wellbeing and encourage participation amongst children and young people who may have limited access to live performance. Supported by the Merseyside Music Hub Alliance, One Education Music, My Hub, Resonate Music Hub and Essex Music Education Hub, last week’s concerts were a wonderful way to promote mental health awareness and explore music as a means of communication and emotional expression.
Feedback shows the positive impact on mood and engagement demonstrated in pupils watching:
“We feel so calm and relaxed”
“Chilling to the music on our bean bags”
“Wow! We love it”
“This has been an incredible experience and [we] have really enjoyed it. Thank you”
“Year 5 would like to say thank you so much! We’ve had a great time listening and singing along”
“So beautiful and relaxing!”
[Comments from the ‘live chat’ during the concerts, from Teachers on behalf of Pupils]
Requests and questions were encouraged via the ‘chat’ function, and when asked how the music had made them feel, pupils said they felt ‘happy’, ‘excited’, ‘calm’, ‘peaceful’, ‘relaxed’, ‘encouraged’ and ‘joyful.’ The concerts aimed not only to entertain, but to also create a space for curiosity and connection, recognizing the vital role music plays in fostering positive mental health.
Live Music Now’s commitment to enhancing wellbeing through music is evident across all areas of our work, year-round. So Children’s Mental Health Week presented a valuable opportunity for us to draw focus on the role in which music plays to promote positive mental health in our children and young people.
Our Musical Mondays series continues throughout the year, and we currently have programmes in Merseyside, Manchester, Cumbria, Essex, Norfolk & Suffolk, as well as various areas across Wales. Email karen,[email protected] if you’d like information on how to bring Musical Mondays to your school.
