Our ambition Create the first National Centre for Advanced

Training for young musicians with special educational needs and disability

These organisations support our plans

Transforming SEND music education

We’re already working alongside expert and committed partners. Our three year ‘New Ambition for Inclusive Excellence’ programme supports young musicians with SEND to play and perform to the highest standards and help them to achieve qualifications, creating equal opportunities to take up a career in the music industry.

Creating a National Centre for Advanced Training for young people with SEND

In order for us to create the UK’s first National Centre for Advanced Training for young people with SEND, we need to undertake a dramatic improvement of our education facilities which are dated. Our £45 million transformation of Colston Hall will create fully accessible, high quality education and concert hall facilities exceeding anything previously built in the UK.

Colston Hall’s New Ambition for Inclusive ExcellenceBristol Music Trust believes that all children should have the opportunity to learn music and fulfil their potential. This includes young musicians with special educational needs and disability (SEND).

We will influence the national perception of SEND music making to help create a national profile like that achieved in Paralympic sport.

Working with industry

We’ll capitalise upon the close partnerships we’ve built-up with Bristol’s thriving music industry. Our Music Education Hub, Bristol Plays Music, will build upon these partnerships to offer a mix of work experience, mentoring opportunities and role models. We’ll support students to develop a portfolio of music skills and provide them with experience about how the music industry works.

The rounded education that a Centre for Advanced Training provides will help pave the way for students to progress to further and higher education. We work with local music colleges, like BIMM, dBs and Access to Music and the University of the West of England.

Providing tailored learning

Each musician will receive a tailored development plan to guide their learning. Full plans are drawn-up with teachers, parents and other professionals involved in the young person’s life. Participants are supported by a team of professional Music Leaders, Mentors and international artists. The curriculum will begin in September and include intensive mentoring and tuition all year round.

At key points during the year, a student will take part in masterclasses, regional/ national ensemble rehearsals, group workshops and performances. From March, particular focus is placed upon career development. Personal industry mentors are assigned each year.

Getting young people involved

Through our open days, festivals and auditions we’ll attract and assess potential participants in the CAT programme. We’d liaise closely with the young musician and their family to understand their needs. We’d continue to work in partnership with OpenUp Music, The British Paraorchestra, One-Handed Musical Instrument Trust and Drake Music to give the widest expertise from the outset and throughout a young disabled person’s education at the Centre.

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The benefits of a National Centre for Advanced Training for young people with SENDThere are twelve music centres for advanced training across the country. But none are designed specifically to help young musicians with SEnD. The transformation of Colston Hall will offer three cutting-edge performance areas and learning spaces, together with a state-of-the-art music technology lab, which will raise the bar for national accessibility standards.

Talented young people aged between 14 and 25 will benefit regardless of whether their instrument is traditional or uses assistive digital technology to play.

June 2016

My name is Bradley Warwick. I’m 21 years old

and have Cerebral Palsy. I need to use a powered

wheelchair to move. A Tobii EyeGaze mounted

computer helps me to communicate. The technology

also enables me to participate in playing music by

using a special piece of software called EyeKeys.

As a young disabled person, I was lucky to be given support from primary

school onwards to develop my skills. Now, I find myself able to have a career

in music and perform as a founding member of the UK’s first disabled-led

regional youth orchestra, which is supported by Bristol Music Trust. I’ve been

honoured to play in front of large audiences and promote awareness about

disabled music on The One Show.

Currently, very few young musicians with special needs or disabilities are able

to realise their dreams in this way. Across the UK, there is a significant lack of

opportunities to develop potential. Low expectations for young disabled people

make it difficult to take their talent to the next level. But I think that

everyone should benefit from the opportunities I’ve had.

Bristol Music Trust’s proposals for the first National Centre of Advanced

Training for young people with SEND would offer opportunities for

thousands of disabled musicians like me. Individual sessions, masterclasses,

group residential programmes and music industry mentors are must haves to

support young talented musicians to progress.

And what a great chance for the Centre to be located in the same city as

The British Paraorchestra and other partners, like OpenUp Music. I’m proud

to give my support to the Trust’s ambitions and the £45 million

transformation project to make them a reality.

I hope you can read this leaflet and share my enthusiasm.

Best wishesBradley

Making our transformation a realityTo unlock our potential as a National Centre for Advanced Training, we must first secure the investment for our transformation. Bristol City Council, the Government and Arts Council England have allocated £25 million between them.

We’ve also just secured a £500,000 private donation as part of our efforts to seek more sources of funding to reach our £45 million target.

Our plan is to start construction work in 2018. Due to open in 2020, we’ll reopen to deliver education and performance in the heart of the West of England.

Find out more Learn more about our aspirations for our Centre for Advanced Training for young people with SEND.

Go to www.colstonhall.org/transformation