Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra

Lyjro

2010 - LYJRO has recently returned from a life changing musical and cultural exchange with Leeds' twin city Durban, South Africa. The trip was the band's second to Durban with the main objective being to deliver musical workshops to children in primary schools. All members of the band participated whole heartedly in the teaching, through singing, playing recorders, chime bars or percussion. Each day spent in the primary schools culminated in a joint performance which was a throroughly enjoyable and rewarding experience. It was evident how much the day meant to the children through the pride and smiles on their faces. LYJRO's mission for 2010/2011 is to support a musical teaching programme in one of the schools visited by the band. This involves providing a bursary to a student from Durban University to continue the work LYJRO initiated. Sorcha Nelson - LYJRO Member
LYJRO Conducting instrumental workshops at Mayville Primary School - Durban, South Africa, September 2010







Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra also made a successful trip to Durban in September 2007. We took 26 Leeds Schools students on an official visit to the Celebrate Durban Festival. This was a cathartic event for the students and teaching staff; as a result the band members wanted to raise money to send the instruments out to Durban - we had hoped to run joint workshops whilst there - only to find hundreds of eager young musicians with no musical instruments! LYJRO members (who all attend Leeds Schools) worked very hard during 2008 and raised over £8000 to purchase and send instruments out to Durban. We are now busy raising funds to return with the band to Durban in September 2010. We have already sent Trumpets and Trombones but intend to 'hand deliver' the saxophones. We also intend to take percussion instruments such that we can run workshops and leave equipment in schools. We can't visit all the Durban schools that have formal contact with Leeds Schools, we intend to re-visit those who we have met and identify other schools to form links with us.

Making it happen This partnership with Durban was first established in 2005 after a visit to Leeds by the Kwa-Zulu Natal Wind band affiliated to the Durban music school. The Durban music school hosted the LYJRO Band during their 2007 exchange. The steering group/committee of parents and friends of LYJRO initiated a 5 year plan which involved the LYJRO's visit to Durban in 2007. 2008 fundraising to provide instruments for the Ekhaya. 2009-2010 fundraising events/gigs/jazz workshops. September 2010 return to Durban to develop a working relationship with the Ekhaya and selected schools. 2012 exchange visit to Leeds by musicians/young people involved in the LYJRO/Ekhaya project.

How we will manage and carry out the activities to achieve its aims: The workshops and improvisation sessions will be led by myself and three fully qualified teachers from Artforms music assisted by two semi-professional instrumentalists based in Leeds. Team leader Alison Blair specializes in the wider opportunities style of teaching and will be assisted by a string and brass specialist. The workshops will also include a dance element which will be led by dancers within the LYJRO band. How we will manage the project:* * The Durban 2010 project is managed by a committee of the above teachers and a steering group which meets every three weeks to monitor fundraising, set the agenda and plan the project. * LYJRO also liaise with International Relations Leeds City Council who co-ordinate events with Durban City Council. Benefits The benefits so far are clearly seen in the response by LYJRO members to help raise £8000 to buy instruments for the centre after the 2007 exchange (refer to the website LYJRO.org.uk.) The benefit to the participants and the organization will be tremendous as it will enrich there experience of working with underprivileged children in a foreign environment. *This will have a longer term impact on their development as musicians.

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