Scope school wins music award

We're delighted to announce that Meldreth Manor School came second in a competition celebrating 25 years of the Soundbeam Project. 

Soundbeam is "the invisible elastic keyboard in the air – with switches too" - a device which turns body movement into music and sound. To celebrate its 25th year, Soundbeam invited their global family of over 4,000 users to submit video examples of their Soundbeam work to YouTube, with cash prizes for the best entries.

With the help of visitors, musician and composer David Jackson made two special films: Soundbeam Sessions was made during our regular class lessons; Soundbeam Apollo was just our star players’ special commission to record the middle section of a new record for the Italian rock band Pandora.

Meldreth Manor School have been using Soundbeam with David since 1996 when he was spotted Soundbeaming at Duxford Aerodrome. Media interest in Meldreth was strong in the 90s and we were featured on both local and national television and radio, even BBC’s Tomorrow’s World! Now YouTube rules!

David still leads regular Soundbeam and switch sessions with all members at the school. They also perform at Christmas and at Meldreth's Summer Music Day with local primary school children. We sometimes have gigs off site too, if you ever need a great band! (for example, Covent Garden with Daleks; The Cut, Halesworth; London School of Music.)

The two winners of the competition are amazing too. Ari Kinarthy, a Canadian, is clearly a brilliant disabled man, who lives for making his own music with Soundbeam. Maurizio Rocca from Italy, was trained by David at Meldreth and in Italy, and has now developed a wonderful methodology engaging so many diverse ability groups.