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What started as simple music education work with young musicians almost two years ago has now developed into a major music project under Inter-Cultural Dialogue project. Come December and January and nearly 20 young musicians in Kolkata and Mumbai will workshop with Lucy Forde and Michael Goodey of Guildhall School of Music to present Different Strokes – Musical Voices from Communities, which will comprise concerts open to thousands of people in both cities. When Sean Gregory of The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, made his way into a readymade group of music teachers and musicians two years ago, he was quick to see that while talent existed aplenty, leadership was still not developed. “Which is why the music education sector in India is suffering,” concluded Sean after his two-week tour. “Leadership, in its widest sense, whether in directing professional ensembles, is working in educational/community contexts or leading compositions with your own ensemble,” he added.
The Guildhall is a prominent and active centre for creative music-making in the UK. Its department for Creative and Professional Practice is the hub for a huge amount of activity, bringing together a large number of organisations and individuals. The existing network is an excitingly dynamic one, constantly developing and with new ideas springing up all over the place. Experts say that over the last decade the musical landscape in the UK has changed. As the standard of musicians in all fields of music has risen, so have expectations of what musicians should be able to accomplish.
Musicians are increasingly interested in developing their portfolio of skills in different directions to include expertise not only in performing but also in composition, direction and leadership, teaching and collaboration. Musicians are also becoming increasingly interested in working across art forms, cultures and traditions and with new media. This has laid the foundations for a great number of exciting musical and artistic developments as new creative companies are springing up, combining different artistic forces. Orchestral musicians, at one time only performing western classical music, are being encouraged through creative orchestra projects to develop themselves creatively as improvisers and composers.
As the role of a musician changes so too does the training of musicians in conservatoires, colleges and universities. The Guildhall school of Music and Drama pioneered their programme in creative music leadership 25 years ago. Now many other educational institutions are also developing their own creative programmes, particularly in the last couple of years. In Different Strokes, the creative drive and inspiration for the music will come not only from the music leaders but the individuals in the group itself. The aim is to give individuals the opportunity to develop their musical ideas and connections as a group. It will also enable manyof the members to develop their skills in music leadership.
A research project on women’s studies with Tata Institute of Social Sciences in West India, a skill improvement project in crafts with Pearl Academy of Fashion in North India, a project with IIM, Bangalore, on improving Public Health Systems in Karnataka and a project on women’s development with Calcutta University in East India. The common denominator is the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE), funded by Department for International Development (DfID), UK, and managed by the British Council in India that enables these projects to address issues of poverty in India.
DelPHE aims to reduce poverty and improve sustainable development by strengthening the capacity of Higher Education Institutions in contributing towards the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals. It also promotes science and technology related knowledge and skills. The scheme provides funding to support partnerships between Higher Education Institutions in India and other countries including the UK. Funding is available up to three-years from £15,000 for a bilateral project to £50,000 a year for larger-scale projects involving several institutions or countries. Project proposals for the fourth round of funding are invited from Indian institutions. Proposals can cover a wide range of subjects Science and Technology, Engineering, Governance and Human Rights, and Business and Enterprise. Proposals that involve partners in Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Sudan will receive priority over the others.
Application form, guidance notes and financial guidelines can be downloaded or got from your nearest British Council office.
The last date for submitting applications to the British Council, India is Friday, 20 February 2009.
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