Tablets prove remedy for young musicians
Pupils at Southover Primary School in Lewes have been learning to play classical music with the help of specially connected iPads designed by Sussex Head of Music, Professor Ed Hughes, and his team.
Pupils at Southover Primary School (Lewes) learning to play classical music with specially connected iPads
Members of the public with little or no experience of music used the iPads as part of the Brighton Science Festival
The system uses the latest digital technology, planned, coded and developed by Professor Hughes’s team: Dr Alice Eldridge and Dr Chris Kiefer (School of Media, Film & Music / Sussex Humanities Lab), Dr Fidelma Hanrahan (School of Psychology) and Jonathan Baker (freelance programmer).
The technology has taught pupils aged 8 to 11 to learn the music faster and gain enough confidence to play as an orchestra. Each child’s score is displayed on their own iPad and a green marker helps them keep in time with their fellow musicians. The music director is able to set the speed and rhythm of the green markers.
Professor Hughes said: “This is very exciting technology and I love how it can really help take the fear factor out of playing in an ensemble for children. The improvement in confidence can be amazing. The school’s Music Coordinator and class teacher, Gill Fenton, said she’d never seen a young orchestra learn so quickly and perform to such a high standard.”
As part of the project, Professor Hughes and his team will examine the psychological impact of the technology on the children. They are keen to understand if learning to play music together in this way provides a more stimulating and secure experience. They are still in the process of analysing that information, but the early signs from the classroom are very encouraging.
Professor Hughes said: “Many people have untapped potential as a musician.
"As part of the Brighton Science Festival we recently invited people with little or no experience of music to come and use the iPads with a contemporary music ensemble - COMA Sussex. The results were just as promising as with the children.
"I’m pleased to see this technology breaking down barriers and help people appreciate what musical instruments have to offer.”