HMDT Music, twice winner of the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Education and recent winner of the Excellence in Musical Theatre Award, is a leader in creating inspiring arts projects for young people, which enrich learning and transform lives. Working with world class artists and leading experts, HMDT increases access to high quality musical experiences which raise aspirations, achievement, confidence, skills and creativity, by commissioning new performance works, developing resources, creating enduring partnerships, and sustaining an extensive outreach programme to schools and the community in areas of disadvantage and deprivation. Established in 1995 originally to work in Hackney, HMDT Music has grown into a highly-respected national charity working in several areas across England.
HMDT Music’s Saturday Programme serves over 350 students aged 6 months – 25 years on 30 Saturdays during each academic year. Started in 1995, it remains a vibrant and unique Saturday offering, providing a spectrum of individual projects involving guest visits and work with leading artists, alongside the continually expanding regular classes and programmes designed to enrich the lives of young people through music making. A source of local community pride, the programme also attracts students from across London and beyond. The Saturday Programme includes The Music Box (under 5s programme), The Fledglings (for reception age students), I Can Sing! (Music Theatre Programme), CYMH Instrumental School, Music Treehouse (SEN/D Programme) and The Julian Joseph Jazz Academy. The programme is supported by an extensive Bursary programme which supports students in financial need.
For over 25 years, HMDT Music has been creating unique, award-winning projects for schools since 1995. These include thematic commissions of new works for young people to perform supported by arts-embedded cross-curricular teaching resources. Our commissions include RPS Award winners On London Fields and Confucius Says, as well as Hear Our Voice, Shadowball, The Brown Bomber, The Hackney Chronicles, The World Was All Before Them, and 2020 Music and Drama Education Award Winner Trench Brothers. Our other work in schools includes bespoke workshops, creative education projects, after-school clubs , whole school Commemoration Days and a wealth of education materials, all of which use the arts across the curriculum to enrich learning.
ONE SPIRIT is a music and creative arts based project specialising in working with young people in the criminal justice system, focused on those both in custody and recently released from custody. The restorative based intervention programme has been running since 2010 and maintains a non-reoffending rate of 85%. Using music, drama and creative media to engage participants in learning activities, One Spirit improves their self-confidence and self-efficacy, personal and interpersonal skills, and functional and employability skills. Its overarching, holistic aim is to help them to envisage, believe in and realise, a more positive future.
In the past year HMDT Music’s outputs include:
As a small, independent charity we have to fundraise for every element of our existence. Please help us sustain the level and quality of our work to help ensure a musical future for all the young people we support.
Here’s what people are saying about HMDT Music:
“The Time project has developed our classroom practice immeasurably, constantly being inspired by the approaches to learning that are shared in school. It is also fabulous to see the increased confidence and motivation of class teachers who are part of the project, and for the children wonderful to experience the quality in outcomes and children’s developing skills and knowledge.”
– Head, Lytham Hall Park School
“Hear Our Voice has impacted on the children hugely. The opportunities have been really exceptional which they would absolutely not have experienced otherwise. They have matured considerably.”
– Millfields Community School
“Thank you for the opportunity at Brighton Dome… It was truly inspiring… It was one of the best experiences in my life… simply a fantastic life experience that I will never forget.”
– Student
“Without the One Spirit Project I would be back in jail. Now I would love to be mentoring and do the same for other people that the project did for me.”
– Ex-Offender
“Thanks for a fantastic project – we enjoy supporting your projects because it’s the only time I see the boys in their true personalities really working and enjoying themselves. You have a strong effect; they all seem to get on better with each other when working with you.”
– Prison Staff
“Music Treehouse has been an amazing experience for my son. The musicians are wonderful and very patient which helps every time. Thank you for everything.”
– Parent
I am incredibly thankful for everything that JJJA have done for me! You guys are instrumental to what is happening in my life right now and in a million years I could never thank you enough! You’ve also provided a family and beautifully nurturing environment that I’ve been searching for my entire life!
– Student
ICS has been brilliant and a very significant part of E’s primary years. The shows are fantastic and the support and team spirit the children show each other is great. Sadly these experiences are no longer a part of the school curriculum and I’m so glad you exist to offer such opportunities.
– Parent
To make a donation in any other way or would like our bank details to donate by BACS, please contact us.
team@hmdtmusic.org.uk
020 8882 8825