Drake Music Project Scotland

Playing an electric guitar is something many youngsters aspire to. But for one pupil at a secondary school in Midlothian, it was never likely to happen. 

The boy in question is confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy. He has little movement and his severe physical disability means playing an electric guitar - in the conventional way - would have been impossible. 

Now, thanks to new technology and the work of the Drake Music Project Scotland, he's getting the chance to play the guitar and take part in music making like the rest of his peer group.

Set up in Scotland in 1997 and based in Edinburgh, Drake Scotland is part of a group of charities established by educationalist Adele Drake in London in 1988 and in Ireland in 1994.

Creating opportunities with music technology

This unique organisation was founded to create opportunities for people with disabilities to make music. As its website states: 'Participants span all ages and abilities and the use of specialist music technology enables them to play, compose and perform music independently.'

Brian Cope, Drake Scotland's Artistic Director, explains: 'Our most commonly used piece of interface technology is the Soundbeam. That's an ultrasonic movement detector which responds even to very tiny movements and converts them into any musical sound.

'We also use a variety of touch-sensitive switches that, when pressed by a hand, foot or head, will play any combination of notes and chords.'

Thanks to new technology, if your body has any movement at all, you can create music. That's why the Midlothian youngster is able to 'play' the guitar for the first time in his life. The Soundbeam is positioned close to him and when he moves either his head or hand within its range, it picks up this movement and converts it to musical data which activates the notes of a real electric guitar.

Although that aspiring musician was based in a mainstream school, most of the educational work carried out by Drake Scotland is focused on special schools and units, where pupils will have a variety of physical and learning disabilities.

A recent survey carried out by Drake Scotland found that there is limited access to or knowledge of this specialised music technology for pupils in special schools. Lack of available expertise and lack of training opportunities for staff are quoted as the main issues. Not only this, but there appears to be a low level of provision generally. According to 'Teachers in Scotland 2004', published by the Scottish Executive, Scotland's 230 special schools and units had access to only 13 full-time and 9 FTE music teacher posts. The results of the survey are about to be published.

During the current academic year, Drake Scotland will be working with seven local authority education departments including West Lothian, East Renfrewshire and East and South Ayrshire. In North Lanarkshire, the charity will be continuing a rolling programme of work in the Council's 11 special schools. Begun four years ago, the North Lanarkshire project aims to deliver meaningful music education to the pupils and train staff to carry on the work once the project ends.

Already Drake Scotland's work in North Lanarkshire has enabled special schools to participate, along with mainstream schools, in the local authority's annual schools Spring Concert. This year, pupils created and performed two pieces of work. One was  'Journey through the Confectionary Cosmos', a galactic adventure with musical accompaniment by Firpark and Knowetop schools and the other, a Scottish medley called 'Lang May yer Lumb Reek' by Drumpark and Bargeddie schools.

Working with pupils and training teachers

'Projects in special schools' explains Drake Scotland's director, Thursa Sanderson, usually result in the production of a CD of the music the pupils have composed. First we work with the pupils to help them develop the skills that allow them to make music. Then they are encouraged to come up with creative ideas around a certain theme and start putting together different elements - tune, harmony, rhythm, lyrics. Pupils gain experience in listening, concentrating, counting, playing their part and playing with other people in an ensemble.

'At the same time, we train the teachers to use the technology resources so they can develop this aspect of music education for the benefit of their pupils.'

A significant finding of the Drake survey is that a number of special schools already have music technology resources - but have been too scared to use them. Frankly, that fear is understandable because when you see the standard range of specialist equipment laid out at Drake Scotland's base in a former Edinburgh church hall, it does look a bit scary.

There are two Soundbeams (which resemble microphones); a clutch of the computer mouse-like switches; a pair of table-top speakers and a small control box; plus a fair number of cables. 'About two years ago,' recalls Brian, 'we needed a car boot to transport all the equipment. We've managed to refine it since then and it now fits into two bags and a back pack.'

Says Thursa Sanderson: 'For children with profound or complex physical disabilities, technology is the only route to active participation in music. Once local authorities know what is possible, they become very interested in working with us.'

She continues: 'In 2002 an audit of music-making opportunities for children and young people in Scotland - What's Going On? - was published. It found that although many diverse music-making opportunities for children and young people in Scotland existed, there were gaps in provision and many barriers that stopped children and young people taking part. It referred to Drake Scotland's specialist expertise and training as a way of addressing one of these gaps, which is special needs.

The Scottish Executive announced that £17.5m would go towards young people's music-making in Scotland and this has been channelled through the Youth Music Initiative (administrated by the SAC). The initiative is driven by the Scottish Executive's central objective to guarantee one year's music tuition to all children by the time they reach P6.

'We very much promote the inclusion of children in SEN schools in this target and funds for the kinds of projects we've been involved in are available, through the Scottish Arts Council Youth Music Initiative, until at least 2008 - so the resources are there.'

Drake Scotland currently operates with a core staff of five plus six specialist freelance musicians who travel all over the country for the charity.

Says Thursa: 'Our plan is to recruit a further five musicians in the near future but we will never be able to provide all the training that special schools in Scotland require. Our hope is that other local authorities will follow North Lanarkshire's pioneering example and appoint music specialists to develop music. We also hope to work with universities and colleges and have a greater input to training for students before they go into music teaching.'

As well as their work with special schools and pupils with special needs in mainstream schools, Drake Scotland is also involved in innovative music projects in the further education and health and community sectors. Client groups include people with profound visual impairments and stroke victims.

The charity, which numbers Evelyn Glennie and the Proclaimers among its patrons, has recently added an interactive element to its website through an Innovation in the Community Award from AOL. The new feature allows internet visitors to sample Soundbeams and switches, giving them a real flavour of the work of Drake Scotland.

Feedback from people involved in Drake Scotland projects

'Shennan obviously loved this project. Her level of concentration and motivation were very high throughout every session. She was able to contribute in all aspects of the piece and is happy and proud of the CD.'

'I was a bit excited and happy but also a bit worried. I was excited and happy to make the CD. I was worried about listening to the CD in front of lots of people. I want to make my own CD now and send it all around the world.'

'The children and young people were given opportunities to make music in ways which wouldn't usually be available to them. This was a great way of building self-esteem and confidence in a fun atmosphere.'

'Peter has displayed abilities during the project that have helped staff become more aware of his capabilities and his potential to achieve new things.'

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