Widening Access Pilot Project: Inspiring the Next Generation of Musicians at Challney High School for Boys
In February & March 2024, we were excited to kick off our first Widening Access pilot project at Challney High School for Boys in Luton, a school where music has not traditionally been a central part of the students’ lives. With limited previous access to music-making opportunities, we saw a chance to make a meaningful impact, introducing young people to the world of music and helping them explore new creative possibilities.
Challney High School reached out to us, identifying a gap in their music provision. The school serves a population where a large percentage of students are eligible for Pupil Premium or Free School Meals, and there was a limited exposure to music-making outside of a small number of students accessing individual drum tuition.
The school wanted to inspire their students to engage with music, develop their creativity, and ultimately open up the possibility of learning an instrument to more students —an opportunity that many of them may have never considered before.
The project kicked off with a performance by a small NYJO ensemble to introduce and get the students excited about live music. Our musicians brought the joy and energy of live jazz to the school, showcasing the exciting world of music-making and encouraging the students to think about how they might be part of it.
Following the performance, the students worked with our team of NYJO educators led by Vij Prakash & Joel Knee and supported by Georgia Ayew and Jai Patel. Together, they introduced the students to the NYJO tubas, and over four weeks, the young people explored the fundamentals of the instrument. They learned how to make sounds on the tuba, how to create bass lines and began to experiment with improvisation.
Many of the students also joined in on percussion, diving deeper into rhythm and grooves, and discovering how different instruments could come together to create a cohesive sound. The process was about more than just learning music; it was about building confidence, learning to make mistakes, and embracing creativity in a supportive environment.
At the end of the project, we asked the students if they were now interested in learning an instrument. A remarkable 76% of the participants responded with a resounding “yes.” This was a huge success, particularly given that previously, one-to-one instrumental lessons had seen low uptake at the school.
We also asked the students to rate how supported and welcomed they felt during the project. Their average rating was an impressive 9.1 out of 10, demonstrating that the project had truly created a safe and inclusive environment for these young people to engage with music.
The students’ responses were incredibly telling:
I have enjoyed playing an instrument I’ve never heard of! – Zorain, project participant
My favourite part of the project was finding out that I was good at tuba! – Gustavo, project participant
Their enthusiasm resulted in a brilliant performance for an audience from the neighbouring girls’ school, showcasing the progress they had made and their newfound confidence in their musical abilities.