Project title: Musical Memory Box (MMB)
Where and when the project happened:
Carlton Court and Birchwood Court, Hertford, from January to April 2015
Project partners:
• East Herts Council
• Hertfordshire Music Service (HMS)
• Riversmead Housing Association
• Hertford Regional College (HRC)
• Hertfordshire Library Service
Describe your project briefly:
Run by two community musicians, MMB delivered 10 music and reminiscence sessions ending with a final event at Hertford Theatre. The sessions used films, songs and conversations to trigger reminiscence and create songs based on participants’ memories. Five Hertford Regional College HND Musical Production students also supported the project delivery.
What were the aims of your project?
East Herts Council commissioned HMS to develop and deliver a music and reminiscence project (with an intergenerational element) for residents in two Riversmead residencies. The aim was to test a cultural project model, for possible repeat delivery elsewhere, and to complement the council’s established physical activity programme for older people.
What happened as a result of your project?
The project deepened residents’ knowledge of one another’s lives and created cross-generational respect and friendship. The final event brought the two groups of residents together for the first time. The Birchwood Court reminiscence training supported a session based on photos and favourite objects and that group planned to meet again to continue their discussions. MMB, built on previous HMS experience, offered students the opportunity to benefit from the rich life experience of elders, by writing songs about their reminiscences. The students also learnt about Music Workshop Leadership career opportunities, with one student deciding to explore the option further.
What evidence did you produce to show your project’s impact?
Activities, over the several weeks, were filmed. The participants, talking about favourite songs or their experience of music, were interviewed by the community musicians. These interviews also picked up some participants’ views about the project. Participants at the reminiscence session were interviewed informally to inform future project delivery. Some sessions were observed and notes taken to help future planning. The HRC students were interviewed and recorded over the project’s lifetime. They attended an evaluation session which formed the basis of a case study for Youth Music. Everyone else involved in the delivery was asked to complete post event evaluation.
What 2 tips would you offer to someone else running a similar project?
• Begin with a partner planning meeting
• Arrange final event specialist transport as soon as possible
Contact details for more information:
Michael Davidson
Head of Rock, Family and Community Music
Hertfordshire Music Service
Michael.Davidson@hertfordshire.gov.uk
If you have an Arts and Health project that you would like to share through Creative Hertfordshire, please go to http://www.creativehertfordshire.com/the-art-of-wellbeing/call-for-hertfordshire-arts-and-health-projects-to-showcase/
For more information visit http://www.hertsmusicservice.org.uk/musical-memory-box