Brass Bands England Launches #PromsInThePlayground Initiative

Proms in the Playground is a new initiative by Brass Bands England to encourage bands to make links with their local community, schools and Music Education Hubs at the end of the Summer Term.

How can you get involved?

After over a year of limited musical activity, with particular limitations on brass playing in many schools, this Summer is the perfect time to re-engage with your local community. From 5 – 23 July we are suggesting community bands connect with their local schools by offering a performance in their playground. This could just be a small group of players, and always in line with the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time. As well as getting young people excited about brass banding, this initiative will help bands forge and strengthen relationships with organisations around them.

How can Brass Bands England help?

Brass Bands England will be providing support to help you with your summer activity.

On Thursday 20 May BBE Youth Brass Development Specialists Paul Fisher and Deirdre Waller-Box will be hosting a launch event to answer any questions and provide support for your #PromsInThePlayground plans. This is free to access for all and will be held using the Zoom meeting platform.

For Brass Bands England members, recordings of our previous webinars led by the Brass Foundations team are available in the Members Resource area, and additional resources helping bands make contact with schools will be available in coming weeks.

COVID 19 resources, advice and risk assessment templates can be found on the Brass Band England websiteand will be continued to be updated to support activity taking place over the coming months.

Top Tips

Providing some helpful tips to support bands, Paul Fisher commented: “Keep it simple, and pick fun music! A short, engaging programme of no more than 15/20 minutes of music is ideal – I’d say four or five short pieces at a maximum. Think about it as a pop-up gig, so for ease consider using lyres rather than having to set up music stands. It doesn’t need to come with a big presentation, just a short introduction and then get on making some great music for the kids to enjoy!”

Music Education Hubs

BBE also encourages bands to use this opportunity to engage with their local Music Education Hub to make them aware of the opportunities you’re offering to schools in their area and to make them aware of you! You can find contact details of your local Music Education Hubs on the Arts Council website.

To hear more about collaborations with bands and hubs as part of the Brass Foundations programme, tune into the Brass Bands England Facebook Page on Monday 17 May at 6.30pm for Bring Back the Brass. This week Paul Fisher will be speaking to Ben Stevens, Director of Music at Hertfordshire Music Service about the partnership between BBE and HMS, and their plans for #PromsInThePlayground this Summer.

Any questions about Proms in The Playground can be directed to BBE’s Education and Development Manager Sarah Baumann on [email protected].