Different Voices 2024

Overview

Different Voices in Harmony started out as a a summer 2022 transition project to help pupils go from year 6 to year 7.

In 2023 we extended the project to include year 5 children, promoting live music experiences and participation in vocal harmonies.

This year we have funding from Arts Council England to extend the project to year 3 and 4 children, alongside continued support for the original groups. Some Gateshead children are also participating this year, too.

The project is aimed at school settings; however, all the resources and some elements of the project are available to parents and carers of home-schooled children.

What we provide

We will provide a small group of songs, with parts, lyrics and backing tracks for pupils to learn and sing together.

Across late June / early July, we will bring a live showband to different cultural venues across South Tyneside and Gateshead. The band includes:

harmony vocals
electric and acoustic guitars
bass
drums
flute
keyboards
saxophone
trumpet
trombone

Children will be a participating audience and will come along to sing the chosen songs with the band as part of an hour-long show.

Some venues will also provide a 'taster' experience for the pupils.

South Tyneside schools can choose to come to a range of venues for a live experience. Gateshead schools will have the opportunity to come along to the Caedmon Hall.

There is also a public evening show at the Amphitheatre, featuring songs from the project and many more, which families / friends from both areas are welcome to attend.

There is no charge to take part in this project, funding is in place for the musical activities and the tasters at the cultural venues. Schools will need to staff the visit and pay for their own transport.

We provide:

A 'Come and Sing' session where teachers, support staff and volunteers working in schools had an opportunity to learn the songs and harmonies with the band.
A set of karaoke-style learning videos for children to use in school or at home too.

Benefits of the project

Participation in the joint project helps evidence building the 'cultural capital' of children.
Songs in the show link to themes from, or are part of, the Model Music Curriculum
Singing with harmonies is a strong 'end point' focus for singing.
Progression. 'Twist and Shout' is focus work for year 7 so the year 6 children are ready for a confident start in their music lessons next year.

Using the project as part of your Ofsted evidence

Below is some guidance if you are planning to use this project as part of your Ofsted evidence, for music, wellbeing, progression, transition or cultural capital:

At briefings for music, Ofsted have expressed that they like to see recorded 'live' evidence of progress. They do not expect perfect, fully edited videos, just simple phone capture is fine.
Video the pupils' reactions when they start out by listening to the songs, when they are learning different sections, when they become more confident and the final performance.
If you are coming to one of the performances at local cultural venues, try to get interviews with pupils about their experience of the show and the venue.

Song list

We have chosen songs for year 5 and 6 children to prepare in advance (year 3 and 4 do not have any to prepare).

They all feature harmony singing but some are more difficult than others. We have differentiated our resources to suit everyone.

The singers do not have to be perfect - it is more about participation and experiences.

Schools where pupils could struggle with harmony singing
Learn the main melody of the songs, try to come along to one of the shows where pupils will get the experience of singing in the middle of lots of harmonies with the live band.
Schools wanting to try the harmonies
Each song has parts recorded separately so you can choose any.
Experienced 'singing' schools:
The tracks / demos for all the songs and harmonies will be on our website, so you can use them in class, in choir and put links on your website.

Year 5: Learn first 2 songs. Some schools may want to do all 5.

Yellow Submarine	Model Music Curriculum Year 5
Best Day of My Life	Confidence and positivity

Year 6: Learn these 3 songs.

Twist and Shout	Model Music Curriculum Year 7
Best Day of My Life	Confidence and positivity
Scarborough Fair	Model Music Curriculum Year 6

All the songs will be in every show but if you choose to do 'Twist and Shout' with year 5 - be aware they will be to perform it again next year as some of the Secondary schools use this as a transition piece.

If you choose a live show, we will also be teaching harmonies for other songs on the day, so everyone will experience those too.

Yellow Submarine - The Beatles

A straightforward song from 1966, and very suitable for year 5 as part of their 'live music experience'. It has a simple 2-part chorus, and we will have all the extra 'sounds' you hear - or you may choose to give some to pupils!

The last verse includes a call and response sung / spoken section. You can split the group here or keep them all singing only.

Resources

Yellow Submarine - All vocals

Yellow Submarine - Part 1

Yellow Submarine - Part 2

Yellow Submarine - Backing track

Yellow Submarine - Backing track with harmony

Yellow Submarine - Lyrics

Best Day of my Life

This song builds on part-singing skills and encourages independence, with its call and response style. It is also a very positive, uplifting song so highly suitable for the end of year.

Resources

Best Day of my Life - All Vocals

Best Day of my Life - Part 1

Best Day of my Life - Part 2

Best Day of my Life - Backing track

Best Day of my Life - Backing track with harmony

Best Day of my Life - Lyrics

Scarborough Fair - Simon and Garfunkle

Scarborough Fair is a more challenging song, and the main melody is strophic (same tune for all the verses) but there are some more difficult lower parts.

This song is suitable for schools who want to stretch their most skilled singers.

It is a folksong, so if you find the melody hard to reach, it's fine to drop the middle phrases down an octave and sing them lower.