Championing the transformative potential of music for children and young people in North Yorkshire

annual review 2013–14

NorthallertonCatterick

Richmond

Yorkshire DalesNational Park

North York MoorsNational Park

Ripon

Thirsk

HarrogateYork

Selby Hull

Bridlington

Filey

Scarborough

Whitby

Middlesborough

Guisborough

Doncaster

Huddersfield

Bradford

Skipton

Settle

Leeds

NYMAZ’s year in numbers

This has been an exciting year in NYMAZ’s development. With our partners we’ve continued to develop and deliver a wealth of inclusive music activity with children and young people in challenging circumstances, ranging from early years music-making to opportunities for teenagers to develop their music leadership skills. We’ve supported the music education sector through organising professional networks and developing new partnerships, and have also developed new funding streams to extend the reach of our work. We’d like to thank in particular our principal funder, the National Foundation for Youth Music, for their continued support, as well as our valued delivery partners and their music leaders, who work together to create such inspirational and life-changing musical experiences for the children and young people of North Yorkshire.Heidi Johnson, Director

“NYMAZ’s distinctive approach is underpinned by a single principle – collaboration. Whether we are making music

or reaching out to new participants through our partners, collaboration means that we can achieve so much more

than through a solo effort.” Sarah Derbyshire MBE, Chair

NYMAZ is......a youth music development charity, which champions the transformative potential of music for children and young people. l With a passionate belief in the power of music to change lives, it develops high quality music-making activities across North Yorkshire, working across a wide range of music genres and styles as well as with the latest music technologies.l NYMAZ music projects are focused on raising aspirations, facilitating personal development, improving social skills, enhancing career prospects as well as increasing enjoyment of music and supporting the progression of the musically gifted and talented. l In parallel, NYMAZ runs professional networks designed to enable musicians and practitioners to develop their skills and learn from one another.

Our working context

North Yorkshire is an expansive county covering 3,300 square miles, nearly the same size as Cyprus! The geography of the county presents significant challenges to delivery and engagement: it takes three hours to travel by car between the East Coast and the county’s most westerly point on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. It is England’s largest county by area, with a population of 600,000, of which 134,900 are aged 0 – 18 years old. Predominantly rural, five of the county’s seven Districts are designated as the most sparsely populated classification of Rural-80 (districts with at least 80% of their population in rural settlements).

Over the past year we have worked across the county with twenty-one fantastic partner organisations: Accessible Arts & Media, Army Welfare Service, Broadacres Housing Association, Dales Jam, Grassington Festival, Harrogate International Festivals, Helmsley Arts Centre, Jazz North, Live Music Now, Musicport, National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, North Yorkshire Music Hub, North Yorkshire County Council (Connecting Youth Culture, Quality & Improvement Service and Music Service), Osgoldcross Forum, Pied Piper Projects, Richmond Jazz Festival, Rural Arts, Skipton Extended Learning for All (SELFA), Sly Arts, and Swaledale Festival.

children & young people participated

3053

music workshops delivered

465

partner organisations engaged

21

professional networks coordinated

3

Continuing Professional Development events hosted

21

individuals & organisations actively involved in

professional networks

382

peaks climbed for fundraising

3

Map of NYMAZ activity, 2013-14

Introduction

long-term activity short-term actvities

2 3

We work with 0–18 year olds across North Yorkshire, focusing on those in challenging circumstances with limited access to opportunities to make music, whether that be through rural isolation, economic circumstances or life conditions.Here’s a sample of what we have been doing this year:

Making and creatingl Creating traditional and contemporary folk music l Constructing ukuleles using Utterly Butterly tubsl Making music from junkl Inventing, making and playing unique wooden instrumentsl Writing songs in local libraries

Offering new experiencesl Performing in public, e.g. Grassington Festival,

Richmond Jazz Festival. l Hosting inclusive singing and signing workshops,

delivered by learning disabled apprenticesl Singing and music-making with babies, toddlers

and their familiesl Linking primary school children and care home residents

to co-create contemporary folk music about the local areal Helping children with profound and multiple disabilities

to experiment with interactive technology to create sound, light, image and video

l Bringing world music and instruments to primary school pupils

Musical progression l Helping talented young instrumentalists explore new genresl Setting up young people’s improvisation ensembles l Improving the composition skills of GCSE music studentsl Signposting young people to new music opportunities,

from concerts to creative projectsl Developing advanced ensemble skills

Training and employabilityl Enabling young leaders to explore possible careers

in music and gain transferable skillsl Running a creative careers event for 400 young people,

Creative Industries Unmaskedl Offering taster sessions in music production

“It was totally RAD! Best weekend I’ve ever spent. I really enjoyed it and it helped my funk keyboard skills.”

“Thank you, my son has been really keen, and he’s been practicing every week.”

“It really helped me to see the range of creative careers that are out there.”

“I had never seen the instruments the musicians were playing, they were really cool and helped us play them too.”

Musicport Folk Club Project Delivery partner: MusicportAlex attended the Whitby Folk Club Project with his little sister, and really didn’t know what to expect beyond having a go at different instruments. He lives in an extremely rurally isolated setting, and does not engage in activities beyond the village where he lives. Alex speaks English as a second language.During the project Alex took part in playing guitar, violin, percussion and singing. He also joined in with a performance of the songs that were rehearsed in the evening. Alex took to the violin really well; the practitioner who was leading the session was impressed with his commitment to the session, and his clear aptitude for the instrument. Negotiations are in place to lend Alex a violin so that he can have a chance to play in his own time and explore whether he would like to take playing the instrument further.

Music Hub working: Adventures in SoundNYMAZ is a key strategic partner in the North Yorkshire Music Hub. NYMAZ developed the Adventures in Sound project with North Yorkshire County Council Quality & Improvement Service and Live Music Now in response to an identified need to raise standards and attainment in relation to GCSE music composition and to provide continued professional development for school staff, developing their own skills and confidence in this area.Over 50 music students from five Richmondshire secondary schools took part in the creative project, which enabled them to explore and improve their composition skills under the guidance of composer Kate Pearson and two professional musicians from the Live Music Now initiative, Aron Kyne (keyboard) and Anna Snow (vocals). The culmination of the project was a live performance and CD recording of the students’ compositions at Richmond School in October 2013.

“I found the project helped me with my composition skills and improved my self-confidence to perform in front of others.” Participant

“A wonderful opportunity for students both to work with an experienced composer and to hear professional musicians perform their compositions. It has also provided excellent professional development for staff.” Cathy Roberts, NYCC Education Development Adviser: Creative and Performing Arts

Music projects for children & young people Workforce training & development

We are committed to developing the youth music outreach sector in North Yorkshire. Through our three specialist networks – NYMAZ Early Years Music Network (ages 0-5), NYMAZ Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Music Network and NYMAZ Music Partner Network – we enable music professionals and practitioners to access training, share best practice and network with peers.Our objective is to share new techniques and resources as well as improve the confidence and professionalism of the sector. Our conferences, career coaching and twilight training have featured keynote speeches from specialists such as Clarence Adoo, Marjorie Ouvry and Sue Nicholls as well as best practice case studies from leading practitioners.

“Came away with many new ideas and skills and the confidence to use them.”

“The workshop demonstrated clearly key skills which can be applied to make workshops accessible for deaf children.”

“Plan to use the ideas from this session straight away!”

4 5

FinanceExtract from independently examined accounts, 2013-14

Future plansWe are developing an exciting and ambitious programme of work for 2014/15, within which we have identified the following priorities:

l Developing targeted music activities with our partners for children in challenging circumstances

l Launching a travelling music project that celebrates North Yorkshire’s seven districts in song, as part of the Yorkshire Festival 2014

l Commissioning a report and series of recommendations on the impact of rural isolation on children and young people

l Inviting early career music leaders to submit proposals for projects to combat rural isolation issues

l Offering personalised professional development activities to individual music leaders

l Researching the effectiveness of delivering music education via video streaming technology for primary schools in rural areas, through a major Digital R&D Fund for the Arts project

Youth Music project delivery

61%

Staffing & overheads25%

Additional project

delivery 7%M

arketing 4%

Youth Music grants74%

Partners’ match funding

16%

Public funding 5%Earned im

come 3%

Trusts & Foundations 1%

Donations 1%

Bank interest

Income Expenditure

6 7

Extract from Reserves PolicyNYMAZ has secured funding until 31 March 2015 under Youth Music’s current programme but given the potential uncertainties after this date the Trustees feel that it is prudent to maintain a sufficient amount in reserves to cover future operating costs or short-term deficits in income.

Restricted Funds £17,973*Unrestricted Funds £61,678 Cash at bank, 31 March 2014 £83,837

*Carried forward against Youth Music grants and Yorkshire Festival commission for project delivery in 2014/15

Youth Music grants £149,697Partners’ match funding £32,476Public funding £9,630Earned Income £6,229Trusts & Foundations £2,000Donations £1,915Bank Interest £394Total £202,341

Youth Music project delivery £124,738Staffing and overheads £51,521Additional project delivery £14,394Marketing £8,758Accounting & Legal £5,061

Total £204,472

With thanks to our trusteesKathryn Belton, Sharon Canavar, Sarah Derbyshire MBE (Chair), Nigel Mochrie, Carolynn Pearce, Samuel Pirt, Richard Safhill (from March 2014), Chris Strong (from March 2014), Robert Wilsmore

Accounting & Legal 3%

Principal FunderThe National Foundation for Youth MusicFunding through Musical Inclusion, Networking, Young Music Leadership and Early Years Children at Elevated Risk modules.Music-making is life-changing. Every year, Youth Music provides more than 100,000 young people with the opportunity to make music, helping them to overcome the challenges they face in their lives. Our music projects support young people to develop their creative and social skills, make positive contributions to their community and live happy, successful lives.We know that many young people still need our help. Join us in our mission to give every child the chance to make music. Visit www.youthmusic.org.uk

The Michael Tippett Musical FoundationIndividual supporters donating to the NYMAZ Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

With warm thanks to our funders and supporters

NYMAZClements HallNunthorpe RoadYorkYO23 1BW

T 01904 543382E info@nymaz.org.ukW www.nymaz.org.uk

@NYMAZmusic www.facebook.com/nymaz

NYMAZ staff Heidi Johnson, DirectorEmily Kalies-Healey, Project Manager (to March 2014)Deborah Welch, Project Manager(maternity cover, April 2013 - March 2014)Millie Watkins, Administrator (Projects Officer from April 2014)Made by Marketing, Marketing Consultant

NYMAZ is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, No. 7035894. Registered charity No. 1134287