Education ViVA

Fever: Smiles!
Derby City General Hospital, Nottingham Children's Centre; Rainbows Children's Hospice, Loughborough and Leicester Royal Infirmary
16-17 February 2008

The next phase of the exciting project, Fever, was held in February this year. Creative music-workshop sessions were held at Derby City General Hospital, Nottingham Children's Centre, Rainbows Children's Hospice and a children's ward at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

"We had a number of young people resident, covering a wide range of abilities – ViVA were able to engage each of them, enabling participation at the individual's level. Thank you." - (Rainbows Staff)

Each session centered around the theme of Smiles! and children were encouraged to produce artwork and costumes prior to the sessions. The workshops gave children and staff the opportunity to join in a creative and interactive-musical experience with professional musicians, and the opportunity to hear live music outside the concert hall.

"Happy, full of fun!" - (Rainbows Participant)

Sigrun Saevarsdottir-Griffiths led the project, with ViVA musicians Nicky Hunter (flute) and Anthony Thompson (trumpet) getting fully involved.

"We have some local choirs or musicians who volunteer occasionally to perform for us and a therapist who works with individuals. ViVA, however, brings us all together." - (Rainbows Staff)

The four different venues held sessions lasting an hour each. Throughout, the children had the chance to interact with the musicians and listen to the different instruments. Sigrun taught the children a traditional African song which they sang back in a call and response style with help from their carers.

"Having the chance to choose the sound I liked most – crashing, hitting the bells." - (Participant)

The young people worked alongside the musicians to create an original piece inspired by the theme of Smiles! They used percussion instruments and experimented with their voices in the creation of their piece. They joined in with deciding what the musicians would play and how they would play it, even getting the opportunity to have a go on the musicians' instruments!

"[They gained] increased confidence, a sense of achievement, enjoyment, increased awareness of the instruments used in the sessions." - (Sigrun – workshop leader)

The sessions in each of the venues culminated in a performance of the piece created during the workshop. As the children left the sessions with 'smiles', sinfonia ViVA is looking forward to arranging the next phase of the Fever project for later on this year.

"All young people were engaged and participated at their own level." - (Rainbows Staff)

This project has been generously supported by John Lewis, Arts & Business, Hickinbotham Charitable Trust, Melton Mowbray Building Society, JR Corah Charitable Trust and TS Shipman Trust