After some years of touring our productions to schools, we became interested in learning more about the benefits of embedding live music into school life over a longer period. With this in mind, we developed the Musician-in-Residence programme – a groundbreaking initiative connecting schools with a professional musician and bringing live music, creativity, and listening to all areas of the school day.
The MishMash Musician-in-Residence programme explores how live music can be embedded throughout the school day, supporting curriculum delivery, wellbeing initiatives, engagement, enrichment, and staff development.
Since 2023, we have been working with four schools in North East England and Nottinghamshire. Each school is located within communities marked by socio-economic difficulties, and each has a high proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, qualifying for free school meals or requiring SEND provision.
Musicians work alongside school staff, devising creative ways to enhance teaching and identifying opportunities to engage children with music.
The work of a musician-in-residence could include:
- Providing stimuli for writing activities, ranging from mark-making in EYFS to written reviews and critiques in KS2, improving written literacy skills and oracy
- Demonstrating key principles in science lessons
- Developing songs to aid memory for rote learning
- Modelling dialogue through creating ‘conversations’ between instruments
- Using sounds, motifs and musical moods to broaden vocabulary and aid knowledge retention
- Complementing storytelling and descriptive teaching in subjects such as history and geography
- Creating an environment of musical aspiration through concerts, jam sessions and group composition
- Using live music as part of mindfulness and meditation
The sessions are very engaging, and I find that children who are often less likely to engage in whole class teaching become more motivated and animated when the musicians join us.
Key Stage 2 teacher
What are the benefits of the Musician-in-Residence programme?
The Musician-in-Residence programme continues to exceed school expectations, deepening students’ engagement and understanding with music woven into many curriculum areas. The programme successfully supports school strategic objectives, including:
- Improving student concentration and creativity
- Breaking down barriers to aspiration
- Improving excitement for learning
- Improving engagement with and progress in learning
- Increasing student confidence and self-esteem
- Supporting well-being and social and emotional health
99% of school staff agree that the Musician-in-Residence programme has been a catalyst for planning more creative learning experiences for children, and 85% agree that it has helped children overcome barriers to learning.
Discover more about the benefits of the programme in this one-page infographic.
What’s next for the Musician-in-Residence programme?
We are keen to roll out the Musician-in-Residence programme in more areas of the UK and are looking for new regional partners ready to experience the benefits of working with musicians in their school communities.
If you would like to start a conversation about how to work with MishMash to deliver the Musician-in-Residence programme in your region email Liz Muge at liz@mishmashproductions.co.uk
COMING SOON: We will soon publish a Musician-in-Residence toolkit containing ready-to-use lesson plans for teachers to use in their classrooms.
With thanks to our funders
MishMash would like to thank the following funders and partners for supporting the Musician-in-Residence programme: John Thaw Foundation, Mansfield District Council, Nottinghamshire Music Hub and Sunderland Music Hub.
The Musician-in-Residence programme is dedicated to Colin Muge, a believer in access and inclusion and a lifelong music fan.
Many thanks for their support:
