Royal Blind School pupils explore access to music-making

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: Tuesday November 18 2014

Pupils from Edinburgh’s Royal Blind School and James Gillespie’s High School have joined together to provide their own creative response to the question of making music more accessible to all outside school.

Over several months the participating pupils have taken part in the 'Music Unlimited' project - a series of student-led workshops which explored the central question:

‘How can young people with additional support needs access inspiring music-making opportunities outwith school time?’

Their response to this question will be presented, in music and in words, during an afternoon of conversation and performances at the school today (Tuesday). The discussion will explore the students' insights and ideas - and how to take them forward.

A spokesperson for Royal Blind said:

“The Music Unlimited project provides Royal Blind School pupils with an imaginative way to have their voices heard. Music speaks to everyone, and music-making offers a fantastic platform for pupils with additional support needs to express themselves in a creative manner.

"The Royal Blind School's music department designs activities which are tailor-made to meet the varying support needs of the pupils - but the question of accessing music-making opportunities outwith the school environment is a really important one. It will be interesting to hear what the pupils found during their enquiry, and discuss how best to build on their ideas."

Working with the school’s music department, the 'Music Unlimited' project was run over several months by social enterprise Space Unlimited (http://www.spaceunlimited.org), with support from Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative (Access to Music Making) 

ENDS

For more information or photographs contact

Una Purdie
Royal Blind Marketing Department
Tel 0131 229 1456 
Mobile 07913 489162

Notes to editors:

• The Royal Blind School is a national grant aided special school that educates and cares for pupils who are blind or have a visual impairment, as well as those with additional support needs. www.royalblind.org/education

• The Royal Blind School is part of Royal Blind, a registered charity that runs services for blind and partially sighted people. Our vision at Royal Blind is to make a significant contribution to building a community in which blind and partially sighted people, including those who also have other disabilities, are fully included and lead fulfilling lives. www.royalblind.org