Thank you!

Our final post for this amazing project will be a HUGE thank you to all the schools involved:) Also thank you to Arts Council England, who helped to make the whole thing possible through their generous financial support, Crown Lane Studio for a fantastic studio tour, Merton Music Foundation for all their support and our sponsors - Wimbledon College Saturday Music School and Tariro Fairtrade Coffee House, Morden.

We made a video during the project at one of the schools...and used three of the new songs created through the project as the backing track!

Studio Tour Competition

A huge 'well done' to 5GM with their song 'Childhood Times', they won a tour around Crown Lane Studio and also performed their song to the public in Tariro Coffee House in Morden.

You can hear their song again here:

'Shosholoza' Teaching Resource

This resource teaches you how to sing the South African song 'Shosholoza'. This song is a wonderful example of true community music-making - every child and adult in South Africa knows how to sing this song, and people of different generations will often sing it together. The song is very powerful for South Africans - it became a symbol of the freedom movement in the struggle against Apartheid, and was played at Nelson Mandela's funeral. The modern meaning of the song revolves around the concept of solidarity and brotherhood as men go forth on a train over the mountains, to work and be free.

Here are the lyrics:

 

Shosholoza, Shosholoza, Kulezontaba, Stimela Si'phume South Africa

 

which translates roughly as:

 

Go forward, Go forward, on those mountains, the train from South Africa

 So first, you can listen to and learn the lyrics here... Once you've mastered the lyrics, add the melody... And now, with all the Be Creative layers (Melody, Rhythm, Bass & Harmony)... Now you're ready to singing along to this bass and harmony backing track we've created for you...watch out for the key change!

Lonesome Primary Year 2 - Healthy All The Way

Year 2 - Healthy All The Way!

Green broccoli

Sweet sweet strawberries

Crunchy carrots

and creamy cheese

Clean your teeth, twice a day

To brush all your germs away

Eat green peas, everyday

Makes you healthy all the way

Lonesome Primary Year 4 - What Makes Us Human?

Year 4 wrote two songs today based on the theme of what makes us human. The themes of senses and emotions come through both songs... enjoy!

Lonesome Year 4 Oak - A Dream Playground Lonesome Year 4 Ash - Dear King Robot - Yours Sincerely from Ash Class
Lyrics:

Lonesome Primary Year 5 - World War II songs

Two new songs on the theme of World War II. The first 'Sitting on my Rocking Chair' describes war from a child's angle - particularly thinking how they might help out in the community. The second 'The Landscape of London' is a darker song, reflecting on what it might have been like to experience the second world war as a child in London.

Cedar - Sitting on my Rocking Chair Spruce - The Landscape of London


Lyrics:

Lonesome Primary Year 6 - 'Shipped Away' & 'Australia'

Well done year 6 - two brand new songs - with very different lyric content! See lyrics below for details...

Birch 'Shipped Away' Elm 'Australia'

Lyrics:

Write your own lyrics!

Don't forget...we've created a special backing track for you to put lyrics to.

Film yourself along with family/friends singing your words and send it in to info(at)becreativemusic(dot)co.uk ...we'll post it on the blog for everyone to hear!

1999 views!

We've had 1999 views since the project started last term, who will be the 2000th?! Well done to all of you fantastic young songwriters...last term you were a part of bringing 32 new songs into the world. Wow!

Crown Lane Studio...who will win the exclusive tour?

At the end of the project...all of the class songs will be automatically entered into our 'best song' competition...with the winning class receiving an exclusive studio tour in the Autumn Term 2014!!

They will also get to perform their winning original-song alongside professional musicians.

Take a look at the studio website to see what sort of things happen there on a day to day basis here. If you have any questions about the studio, what happens inside, and who uses it...comment below...

Hatfeild Primary - Rivers and Memories

5MM This song talks about life flowing so fast like a river - sometimes we get carried along by the current, and we feel like we don't have time to really 'be' in the moment. But we can bank those happy memories and revisit them whenever we want to:) A really thoughtful song, with some really super river imagery - beautifully performed!

Rivers of Memories
Day after day, wave after wave,
Memories caught in the rapids.
Slowly drifting away -
Will they come back another day?

I wish these memories could stay with me,
Rivers of memories.
Never stops moving til it reaches the sea,
Rivers of memories.

Walk over memory bridge,
Take a walk down memory bank,
Meander in the memory valley,
Rivers of memories.

5GM Same theme, but a completely different feel for this song! 5GM wrote lots more lyrics, but we had to cut some of them out to make the chorus more punchy. What do you think? Leave your comments below! This song explores the fact that although we might not remember every memory, we can remember the overall feeling of being young. It was great to see the audience dancing and clapping along in our outdoor performance!

Childhood times
My history flows through a river of thoughts,
A waterfall of memories floods my mind,
Swimming through all that I've been taught,
Meandering Happiness -

Childhood times (glistening in the sea)
Childhood times (flowing back to me)
Childhood times (rolling down the mountain)
Childhood times (bursting like a fountain)

Introducing... Stevie Wonder

Introducing one of the Be Creative team's absolutely favourite songwriters...Stevie Wonder!
Do you know any of the other famous songs he's written? How many musicians can you count in his band?

Become a Music Journalist!

Two family members take their absolute favourite song, and then swap! Review each other's song, like you'd see in a music magazine or newspaper, describing the different musical elements that you can hear. Discuss your reviews together.

Post your review here as a comment!

The BBC Proms...

Now's the perfect time to go to a concert...The BBC Proms (the world's largest classical music festival) held in the Royal Albert Hall in London start tomorrow 18th July. There are plenty of workshops and concerts specially for families, where you can all get fully involved! Tickets start at just £5.

The Royal Albert Hall

Inside the Royal Albert Hall

Don't forget!...

Got the creative juices flowing? There's still time to book onto our Summer Songwriting workshop on Tues 29th and Wed 30th July at Morden Baptist Church. £55 per place (Siblings Discount £50).

Holy Trinity - Happy memories

We had a fantastic day with Year 5 today, thinking about the power of memories. 5H wrote this song based on looking back to family memories. 5T chose the theme of summer memories for this positivity-packed song! Well done, from Phil & Ed

Pelham songs - Transition and Expansion

In this song, year 5 & 6 explored their feelings towards the school expansion.

Looking ahead
Feeling confused and feeling lost,
Anxious about the changes I see,
Counting the emotional cost of the sacrifice affecting me

Looking ahead to the next generation
We're looking, we're looking to open the door
Looking ahead to a brand new future
We're looking, we're looking, we're offering more

Year 5 & 6 wrote this song thinking about what qualities a good friend has, and what kind of friend they would want to be to others.

Each and every day
Verse:
When you move into the darkness, I'll be there beside you
If you ever need a helping hand, I'll be there to guide you
If you fly in the sky, I'll fly with you
And it you plunge to the depths, I'll go there too

Chorus :
I'll be there, whatever the weather
Through highs and lows, always together
Every step of the way, each and every day.

Family singing in the car!

Fab to see a family enjoying making music together. Who said traffic jams have to be boring?

St John Fisher Primary - Together in Harmony, We're a Choir as One

We had the absolute pleasure of working with the fantastic singers that make up St John Fisher's KS2 Choir to create two fabulous songs. Taking on our theme of Backstories, they wrote about what it feels like to be part of a choir, and to sing as part of such a strong community. Brilliant stuff!
Raph&Ed

 KS2 Choir (Year 3+4) - 'Together in Harmony'

Verse:
Singing songs for the mayor, singing in front of a crowd
Feeling excited, as light as a cloud
My body is made of music, my heart beating faster than a quaver
Singing is my life, my passion for music won't waver

Chorus:
Come along with me, Some amazing wonders you will see
Singing these songs, feeling like we belong
A choir together in harmony
A choir together in harmony

 KS2 Choir (Year 5+6) - 'We're a Choir as One'

Verse:
When you're alone and sad, and times seem really bad
Butterflies are overflowing, your nerves are growing
Our hearts start to beat, we can defeat
The fear that controls us.

Chorus:
Sing with passion, sing with joy, sing together as one
Believe in yourself and trust your voice
Use your passion, it's your choice

 We're a choir as one, through rain and snow
Let yourself go, let the music flow

Lonesome Primary - Changing Seasons

Two brilliant new songs from Lonesome Year 4 today. These songs were inspired by the theme of 'Changing Seasons', using imagery from nature to help create the lyrics. Well done!
Phil & Raph

The Seasons May Be Changing (Year 4 - Oak) I Can See What It's Going To Be (Year 4 - Ash)

1st step of songwriting...

The completed words!

Links Primary School Songs - Mountains and the Sun

Fantastic songwriting from children at Links Primary School yesterday, where year 5 wrote songs about their own memories and experiences, as well as looking to the future, using imagery of the sun (class 5M) and of mountains (class 5G) as inspiration. Great stuff!

Class 5M - 'When We Reach The Peak' 


Class 5G - 'High Above The Stars'
Lyrics: 'When We Reach The Peak' (top) and 'High Above The Stars' (bottom)

Merton Abbey - Trees & Backstories

We had the pleasure of working with children from Merton Abbey school recently! Year 5 and 6 wrote two fantastic songs inspired by our Merton-wide theme of Backstories, but also using the imagery of trees, to help represent growing older (year 6) and to describe an older, wiser person in our lives (year 5). Well done!

We're Getting Stronger As Our Roots Grow Deep (Year 6) Everything That I Know (Year 5)

Everything That I Know - Lyrics

We're Getting Stronger As Our Roots Grow Deep - Lyrics

Garfield Primary Songs - Ancient Egypt!

We had a lovely time at Garfield school today working with some really enthusiastic and creative year 4 students alongside their wonderful teachers! Together we created songs related to year 4's theme of Ancient Egypt. Owls class wrote about what an ancient ruler or Pharaoh might say to their people in times of need, while Woodpeckers class described the Ancient Egyptians and suggested what lessons we might learn from them nowadays - building incredible pyramids as they did, maybe we can learn from this kind of teamwork and create our own wonders of the world!

Year 4 Owls class: 'I am the Pharaoh'



Chorus:
I am the Pharaoh have no fear
Don't leave don't go don't shed a tear (x2)

I am the ruler of the land
Be strong, come here and take my hand (x2)

Verse:
Something's coming that you don't understand
Be cautious and careful in your land
Give me respect, and I'll give you peace
War is here, so please understand:

(repeat chorus!)


 Year 4 Woodpeckers class: 'Magnificent Minds'



Verse:
Magnificent minds,
Amazing finds,
Terrific tombs,
And Tutankhamun

Chorus:
Working together, to create more and more
The Egyptian rule, is a lesson for all

Joseph Hood School Songs

Just before last weekend we went into Joseph Hood school and created songs based on themes of shipwrecks, desert islands and the sea. Year 6 wrote a song personifying the sea, specifically, the sea as featured in Michael Morpurgo's book Kensuke's Kingdom, which they've been reading. They imagined the sea as a force of nature that can be terrifying but also offer up hopeful secrets and messages... and so to year 5, whose lyrics formed what they would say were they to write a 'message in a bottle', and offer it up to the sea. Wonderful work all round!


Year 6: 'I am the Deep Blue'

Verse: 

I carry legends from the past

Secrets hidden in the deep

But it’s time at long long last 

To reveal one that I keep

I carry stories from the past

Treasures from the deep deep blue

But it’s time at long long last

For waves to carry one to you

Chorus:

I am the deep blue

Rough and unforgiving

Beware but also hopeful

I am the deep blue

Year 5: 'Please Rescue Me'

Verse:

I’m building a raft, raft raft out of wood

As lonely as a bird, screeching in the sky

I’m swimming in the sea, with dolphins next to me

I can see lions, and tigers, and bears, waves closing in

Don’t want to roam, just want to go home

I’m lost and marooned, just save me soon

Chorus:

Please rescue me, I’m ever so lonely

Please recuse me, I will survive

Please rescue me, I’m sending this message

Please rescue me, to keep me alive.

Hillcross School Songs

Last week we worked with two lovely year 4 classes from Hillcross school. Elm class wrote a song about teamwork in sport inspired by their school theme of the World Cup, and Holly class wrote about how pictures can tell stories and remind people of the past, inspired by the other current Hillcross theme of 'Lights, Camera, Action'. Enjoy!

 Year 4 Elm class: 'Not About Winning, It's Taking Part'

Verse:
Sport and hobbies we share
Start the work and strive
Persisting will get us there
Competing to feel alive

Chorus:
Not about winning it’s taking part
Try your best with all of your heart
People together to learn the way
Teamwork from the start to the end of the day

 Year 4 Holly class: 'Why Leave Your Past Behind?'

Verse:
Childhood Journeys, school picture day
From my first day on earth, I’ve been finding my way
Remembering happy memories,
Keeping friends, forgiving enemies

Chorus:
Why leave your past behind
Take a look at a picture to help you remind
Cherish emotions and make them last
Take a quiet moment as time travels fast

Abbotsbury Primary Songs

Two new songs, based on the Backstories theme of communication. Larch class wrote a letter in song form to thank those who have helped form them (parents, grandparents, teachers etc...)

Larch Class: A Gift From The Heart
The next year 5 song was written as an encouragement to 'listen up'.
Maple Class: Listen Up

The Willis Clan - quite a family!

Backstories is all about making music with others, here's a family that really know how to make music together!

Hollymount School - Rivers and Memory!

Some beautiful songs created today by year 4 children at Hollymount School! They wrote songs on the theme of rivers, life and memory, imagining what a river might say if it had a voice, and also how a river can reflect the way in which we look back into the past.
  Here are the lyrics - try singing along!

 'Life is Like a River' (Class 4L) 
Verse 1:
Sometimes I feel lonely
I flood when I'm angry
I choke when I'm careless
My only friend, an oak tree

Verse 2: Rumbling, tumbling
I shimmer in the sunlight
Flowing elegant and graceful
I'm a wonderful sight

Chorus:
Though I may be blue
I'm happy flowing through
The landscape of life
The landscape of life

 'Burst of Life' (Class 4D) 
Verse:
The rapid river, rushing by
Exciting fun, for you and I
A joyful touch, in the air
Full of memories for us to share

Chorus:
With a burst of life
I remember the past
There's a wishful moment
That my dreams will last

 Bridge:
 Swishing/Swishing, Splashing/Splashing
The river loud
A clear history
The days that make me proud

Sacred Heart Songs...wow!

Two fantastic songs were created from scratch by Sacred Heart Year 6 students today. What fab singing, and melodic ideas...well done!

The Future is in Our Hands Feelings from Sacred Heart
Well done for a great and extremely groovy afternoon concert performance too!
Phil & Ed

SS Peter & Paul School: Brand new songs!

We had a fantastic day today working with two fabulous year 6 classes from SS Peter & Paul School. On the anniversary of the D-Day landings, we chose the topic of 'conflict & resolution'. Year 6 rose to the challenge to create two very different songs. The first, 'Life's a brand new page', was inspired by V.E. day, with the message of celebrating peace, emerging from conflict and rebuilding society.

Life's a brand new page
Chiming bells of victory join together in unity -
Can you feel it in the air?
Now the fight is in the past, finally there's peace at last
And hope is everywhere.

Walk towards the light.
Work 'til something's right.
Turning from the fight,
Life's a brand new page.

The second, 'We'll make it', looks at the theme of hope & friendship through suffering. Taking inspiration from the book 'War Horse', which they had been studying, year 6 imagined what message of hope Joey the horse would convey to his friend Albert.

We'll make it 
One day we'll meet again,
Although we don't know when.
Be joyful, you'll always be my friend.
One day we'll meet again,
Although we don't know when.
Trust in the Lord and we'll make it through.

It's hard but we'll make it,
Believe and stay strong.
Have faith and remember 
Where you belong.

Saturday Music School

We're pleased to introduce one of our sponsors, The Saturday Music School at Wimbledon College.

Programme & Resource Pack

Click HERE to download the Programme and Resource Pack PDF

WELL DUN-DONALD!!!!!

We've just had a wonderful day working with Dundonald school! What a lovely bunch of students and staff. Here are the two songs the children created - Year 3's 'Let the Magic Be Free', and Year 6's 'Stories of the Universe', all based on a Storytelling theme. Here are some pictures of the song lyrics as they were being created!

Here are the lyrics:

'Let The Magic Be Free' yr 3 
Verse: Some stories can be funny
They might be stormy or be sunny
They’re strange big and crazy
Happy, twisty and mazy

Prechorus:
We’ll work together day and night
To bring these stories back to life
So feel the mystery top to toe,
Do you feel it in the flow?

Chorus:
Let The Magic Be Free!
As you stand beneath an enchanted tree,
Feel the story all around
From the sky and to the ground.

'Stories of the Universe' yr 6
Verse:
Once Upon a time, a childhood adventure
Where inspiration was the road to the future
Leading us to a better tomorrow
Where there will be joy, and no more sorrow

Chorus:
Stories of the Universe, look and you will see
Dream and imagine, to be or not to be
Tell everyone, and heed this advice
Follow this rule, and go far in life

Cricket Green's Festival Songs

Well done to our first school of the project - Cricket Green School! Fab songs on a festival theme...

Lyrics Challenge

We’ve created a special backing track for you to put lyrics to.
Send a film of you singing along with family or friends and post it on the blog for everyone to hear!
 

Warm Up #1 'Pass the Whisper'

Starting with a ‘shh’ sound, pass it round the circle. Once you have achieved a regular ‘pulse’ or beat, then each person can start changing the sound slightly as you continue around the circle (consider dynamics, duration, timbre, intonation, pitch)...see how diferent the sound can be from when it started!

Create a music video

This can be simpler than you think. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Sing along to a song that's already famous, with a different person singing each line or verse.
• Film a family music video (if not everyone wants to sing...they can be the camera crew!)
• If you want to get even more creative, you can edit together different takes using software like Movie Maker (free to download for Windows) or iMovie (for Mac)

We made a 1-take video for a song that already exists, 'Lovely Day' by Bill Withers. What do you think of our 'instrument' backing?

If you have any questions about making music videos, ask our pro expert Jake and he'll answer your questions right here on the blog.

What is 'Backstories'?

Backstory:

a) an account of the events leading up to what is being written about now (Macmillan Dictionary)

b) the things that have happened to someone before you first see or read about them in a film or a story (Cambridge Dictionary)

Be Creative Backstories is an Arts Council England funded project running through the Summer Term of 2014. Twenty schools have the opportunity of receiving a visit from the Be Creative team of specialist music educators and musicians, who work alongside the children to help write, play, record and perform an original song. (Each class will record their own song.)

Each song will be a unique take on the Backstories project themes of sharing:

• our family and cultural histories 
• our experiences as a community 
• connections we have with the wider world

After the day of workshops, the classes will get to perform their unique songs to an audience of parents, grandparents, teachers and fellow-pupils in an interactive concert.

Please use this space and the ideas in this blog to continue the journey of looking back to help inform your creativity in the present.

Welcome all!

Welcome to all... we will be posting up videos, photos, audio, resources etc here, and they're all for YOU! So please feel free to get involved, click, comment and create away!