August Newsletter
A busy summer has begun for us at Finding Rhythms with projects at the award-winning Horniman museum, Rugby Portobello Trust and Project Turnover with many more lined up over the coming months. Read on for more about current and future projects below.
We recommend re-visiting the 2019 album ‘Successful Struggles‘ that we made with young people at the Rugby Portobello Trust to get you in the summer mood. Grab those headphones and turn up the volume on ‘West London In the Summertime’.
NEW PROJECTS AT PARK ROYAL HOSPITAL, HMP COOKHAM WOOD AND THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM
Following on from our work at HMP Woodhill earlier this year, in April we ran our first project at Park Royal Hospital in Northwest London. Both institutions are part of the Pathway Strategy organised through a new HMPPS and NHS initiative called the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) and have patients with profound mental health conditions. Working with patients on a low secure forensic ward, who were often heavily medicated, was a new challenge for our musicians. We will be releasing music from the project next month and returning later in the year.
“…we got to see a few individuals truly come out of their shell creatively and socially. There were genuinely wonderful moments like a half hour freestyle where everyone joined in – including members of staff, that type of easygoing freestyle energy permeates the whole project.”
-Thabo Mkwananzi, Finding Rhythms music practitioner
At the end of May, we worked for the first time with young offenders at HMP Cookham Wood in Kent, we’ll be releasing the music made very soon and hope to return later in the year.
We kicked off a busy August with a new collaboration with the Horniman Museum working with young people selected through the South London Department of Work & Pensions Community Engagement Team across four days, utilising rare and unique instruments from the museum’s collection.
RETURNING TO HMP AYLESBURY, ONLY CONNECT AND CAMDEN CENTRE FOR LEARNING
In April we returned to HMP Aylesbury and released the album we made there last month. Listen to ‘Diamonds in the Dirt’ here.
This month we are wrapping up a year-long project working with students at our first pupil referral unit, Camden Centre for Learning.
“[name removed] seemed to be a classic example of a teen who needed a creative outlet to have the rewarding experience of being able to focus on something and produce an outcome. A common reaction from staff when they heard I had him as a 1-1 was worry because he was not usually engaged with many activities. From the moment he stepped into our sessions he was 100% engaged and really valued having a mature relationship with me with the respect going both ways, working more like artist and producer in a studio”
– Fred Harper, Finding Rhythms music practitioner
Last month we rounded up a project with Only Connect at a recording studio in East London, where participants were able to put the final touches to their music in a professional environment. Look out for the release for this one.
We worked with Stevie at our project with School Ground Sounds in 2020 and it was great to reconnect during our recent content day and hear that amazing voice once more. Watch the video to hear for yourself.
“It literally was my medicine for helping me come out of depression, like it was giving me a reason to wake up every day.”
With thanks to Co-op Local Community Fund who provided support for this project.
Content warning: this video contains the mention of suicidal thoughts and depression which may be upsetting for some people.
We are in the thick of running several summer youth projects this August with new and existing delivery partners:
– We return to Rugby Portobello Trust & Amplify Studios for three weeks where we will include tutorials on mixing and mastering the music created by the participants, bringing them into a side of the process they are not normally exposed to.
– We will be making music with young people at Project Turnover in Staines throughout August.
– Coming out of the summer we are excited to return to the YMCA Crouch End working with their young residents.
We are passionate about changing the lives of young people through music and a big thanks goes out to Youth Music for their continued support of Finding Rhythms projects.
New Beginnings was produced at YMCA Haringey Crouch End.
“It was fun to take part in a creative activity” commented one resident, and “It was a place where I could express myself through music” reflected another.
Project Leaders: Andre Hall and Dreamcoat
Released: 5 May 2022
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
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Invisible Pain was produced at HMP Woodhill through the NHS funded Offender Personality Disorder.
Project Leaders: Aron Kyne & Thabo Mkwananzi
Released: 8 June 2022
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
LISTEN ON BANDCAMP
Diamonds in the Dirt was produced at HMP Aylesbury.
Project Leaders: Aron Kyne & Andre Hall
Released: 15 July 2022
LISTEN ON BANDCAMP
Real Talk was produced at HMP/YOI Cookham Wood across three days in May this year.
Project Leaders: Fred Harpher & Andre Hall
Released: 11 August 2022
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
LISTEN ON BANDCAMP