Holistic Approaches to Music Making in the Early Years – A collaboration between AMP Music, Note Weavers and More Music

 

Monday 9 March 2026 – 9.30pm to 4pm at Skipton Town Hall

This event is for you if you use music in early years settings or if you want to learn how to.  You’ll learn new approaches from experienced music practitioners, find out how other people are using music in their early years work and come away with new ideas to try out with your groups.

Keynote from Social Musician and Songmaker, Hugh Nankivell.

Hugh will be sharing his experience of working on intergenerational projects over the last decade in England, Wales, Scotland and Japan.

The presentation will share how he has come to love working musically with the very young (pre-school) and the very old (generally 60-100 years old) together and explain and demonstrate some of the myriad benefits.

The practical workshop will creatively look at how we can prepare for, and shape a session with elders and youngsters together, what material might be used as a provocation and stimulus, what connections we might find between the two groups and how we might expect to see the projects progress.

Confirmed presentations and workshops include:

Little Notes – The Little Notes project from AMP brings music sessions to families with young children across North Yorkshire in areas where access to musical opportunities is limited. Each Little Notes session is unique, run in a local library and offers the opportunity to connect and build musical, social and communication skills. AMP’s Sarah McWatt, Little Notes’ practitioners Sally-Anne Brown and Bryony Harris and Grace Knill from Pioneer Projects will talk about how they work to make these sessions specific, relevant and supportive to the communities they work in.

Repertoire DIY – Anni Tracy and Ben McCabe from More Music share simple, fun and fluid songwriting methods in this practical session designed to help people fill thematic gaps for music groups and everyday life.

DARE! – Anni Tracy and Ben McCabe from More Music have been exploring bringing performance, projection, film, puppets and more to a series of shows for under 5s and their adults since 2017. This session will focus on their new show DARE! and how considering a child’s perspective can offer creative starting points.

Feel the Connection – Exploring Creative Approaches for Supporting Parent-Infant Relationships – Georgina Roberts, Director Note Weavers CIC, Music Therapist, PhD Student and Graduate Teaching Assistant. This workshop will offer an experiential exploration of arts-informed approaches for supporting parent-infant relationships, drawing on a developing toolkit created as part of doctoral research. Participants will engage with selected practices and reflect on how creative, embodied, and relational processes can support connection and attunement in early relationships.

Songdrawing – Stephanie Warrender: Teacher and Director Laulau Learning UK. Through playful musical art experiences, participants will sing, move, draw, and create in ways that mirror how young children naturally explore the world. Rhythm becomes movement, movement becomes mark making, and marks become stories and songs. It supports deep listening and helps children feel seen and included. Participants will leave inspired and energised with simple, playful ways to create rich musical environments where children can think, feel, move and express themselves freely through music, art and play.

Concerteenies for Babies – Concerteenies for Babies is now an ongoing programme of activity. Led by Founder and CEO/ Creative Director of Concerteenies, Polly Ives, it has developed through a Youth Music funded project 2023-2024 and a Sheffield City Council ‘Creative Communities’ funded project in 2024-2025. Working in partnership with 7 Sheffield Family Hubs and with inspirational professional musicians, the project aimed to connect, revitalise and entertain grown-ups as well as give babies their first magical musical experiences. Polly will share the evaluation led with Professor Karen Burland at The University of Leeds alongside internal reflections, challenges and magic moments from the project. She will involve everyone with practical elements from the project.

***Delegate feedback from the last Early Years Music Conference***

“The quality of the sessions I attended was extremely high, the presentation were clear and well delivered.”

“It was a brilliantly organised conference. Lovely venue, great refreshments, clear communication and such a variety of presentations – I wish I could have gone to them all!”

“The day was very well organised, the content and guest speakers were very informative and engaging. Lots of opportunities for questions. an all round great day.”

Food & Drink
Tickets include lunch plus refreshments on arrival and during morning and afternoon breaks. All food will be vegetarian. Please let us know of any further dietary requirements when booking.

For more information on accessibility and bursary places, please click on Book.

This event is a collaboration between Amp Music, Note Weavers and More Music.