Trainee Scheme
Alumni Lead Trainees
Alumni – Previous B Sharp Trainees have now progressed, and are now professional music leaders and play in their own band – Papa Le Gal. They are all still involved with B Sharp. Check our Alumni Page for more info about their band.
Testimonial from Matt Hartnell alumni
Without B sharp in our local area the youth music scene would be entirely down to the youth themselves. I know many opportunities and collaborations, which would not have arisen without B Sharp and its different facets, from the formation of bands to Inter-age group recording projects.
I think B sharp is the most inspiring project in the area and it needs to grow in order to show everyone its full potential as a hub for local musical activity.I am currently studying a degree music performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford It’s something that I may not have done without the help and direction of B Sharp. I used B Sharp performances and projects as examples of my musical experience when applying and received a non-interview offer which I later found out was based on the strength of my application. I’m thoroughly enjoying the course so and hopefully I’ll be back to work on some new B Sharp projects, and pass on some new ideas Iv’e learnt so far!
Matt Hartnell.
Jacques Verhaeren (JV) (Alumni)
Jacques was a late-comer to the world of music, not playing an instrument
till his last year of school at the age of 16. Once he picked up the guitar however, he realised that he had found something worth pursuing for the rest of his life. Though he wouldn’t class himself as a guitarist, he is willing to play whatever is needed to get the job done, now playing bass for local Afro-Funk band Papa Le Gal with fellow trainees Olli and Greg. He can often be seen dancing in silence to music inside his own head and has now resigned himself to the fact that music has officially taken over his whole body. Spent a while rubbing shoulders with special brew guzzling homeless people as a busker in this country and abroad, although the money was good, got fed up with being thought of as a homeless man as he always had a roof over his head. Is loving his time with B Sharp as making music with others has always been for him, the best way of learning music, and in John, Glyn and Ralph, he has found some excellent teachers.
Jacques Verhearen
Olli Dixon (Alumni)
To me ‘B sharp’ is a great project which has now been tried and tested and is
ready to expand, exploring it’s visions of future music in the local area. It has provided a base for both education and recreation with a core group that utilise all the opportunities offered to them. The project is well led and well managed, with a very democratic decision making process. Proving to be great ambassadors for the town of Lyme Regis, the ‘B Sharp’ youth members are polite, fun and have an ability to ‘understand’ a wide range of musical ideas. This, (in my view) is a compliment to the way the group works together to overcome problems and the way the training and information has been delivered.
Personally I have had great fun working with the project. It has provided support, education and professional training to me, all of which I wish to continue giving back as a trainee youth leader!
Olli Dixon – Trainee music leader
Owen Cook (Alumni)
Hiya,
My name is Owen Cooke I’m 25 and I live in Beer, Devon. I play a small
amount of keyboard but produce music on the computer. I have a number of groups and projects ranging from underground hard style and Psy-Trance to electronic pop music, with a large number of people involved. I enjoy all music styles as i believe you can learn from every genre.
The B sharp project is very important to me as it not gives young people a flame for their musical and group organisation interests, it also help me to build my teaching skills that are very important for my future in the music industry.
Seeing the young people happy makes me happy and its great when all the strings are tied and a performance/piece of music or even just a meeting is produced .
Owen Cooke. aka dirty volume / go stereo. Find us on: YouTube & MySpace
Greg Walters (Alumni)
Ever since a young Greg Walters entered the world of Glastonbury festival,
he realised that music is the only thing for him. Whether drumming in the band Papa Le Gal or creating ominous synth driven drones he’s always trying to learn, teach and create anything and everything to do with music. He was a late comer to the b sharp’s project, and has performed in various performances such as the Lyme Regis fossil festival and Weymouth carnival. “When I first arrived at B Sharp’s, I was highly impressed by the project. I have learnt a great deal from not only music leaders but also from all of the kids I have worked with. It has been very rewarding and well worth doing and I hope to see B sharp’s progress into the future.”
Greg Walters
Current Lead Trainees – 2011
Dom Kirtley
Hey, I’m Dom, I’m 16 and I live in Lyme Regis. I’m really into all types of music, from DJing
and recording music to playing saxophone and the Bass guitar. I’m currently trying to put together a home studio to record some electronic style music and I’ve recently been running workshops with the junior town band, teaching them about samba drumming. I’ve been involved in B sharp for around 3 years now and I’ve loved every minute of it! The Project has really helped me progress with direction as a musician, and has given me a much more rounded and wider view of what you can achieve through music, the community feel of the project is really unique, and it’s great to be able to help to lead it!
Emma Franklin
Current Apprentice Trainees – 2011
Ella De Vera Hunt
I’ve been playing both the acoustic and electric guitar since I was eight. Throughout the years my love for the guitar has grown stronger and stronger; still growing today. Peter Green, Paul Wassif and David Gilmour have been the three guitarists who have inspired me the most. My first experience with B Sharp was performing at the Eden Project in 2010. I was extremely impressed with the compositions which had been created and saw what a great opportunity B Sharp offers to young people. As a musician, there is nothing better then working in a friendly group with other young musicians who share a love for music. I always leave with a buzz after B Sharp rehearsals, everyone is so friendly and positive. I see my new role as a trainee, as a great opportunity to build my leadership and professional skills and collaborate with people that share my passion for music. I’m really looking forward to starting..
Jake Perrett
I’m Jake and I’ve been playing the drums for 6 years. I’ve been part of B Sharp for 3 1/2 years and i have enjoyed every minute of it. Being with B Sharp has developed my musical ability and my love for music. B Sharp has also developed my confidence when playing music but also in all aspects of my life. I am very proud to be a member of B Sharp and now a trainee.
Joe Bailey
Will Lister
John Pogson
Dan Blaker – Technical Support
Phoebe Hill
Secretary of Lyme Youth Arts.
Founder member, fund raiser and B Sharp participant.
I feel privileged to be part of B Sharp, it has really become part of my life, not just the sessions but the inspiration I get from it, to create ideas, in the way we have learnt to create a piece of music. I have loved working with so many amazing people, who I would not have met it it wasn’t for B Sharp.
Phoebe Hill, Participant and Secretary.
Phoebe Hill c/o maisie@maisiehill.co.uk
Photographs
Maisie Hill maisie@maisiehill.co.uk
Young artists contributions so far:
Original founders – Lally Owen and Jack Loughlin
Part time trainee & musician Will Benson
DJ Sam Felix Marsh and DJ Lee
[Original website design] Tola Mohiki tolamohiki@googlemail.com
Posters, banners, t-shirts and logo design- Morgan Faverty, Richard Smythe
Poster design/illustration – Jack Loughlin, Dan Blaker, Kiasah Ahmad Sanusi
Hatty Maguire, George Ward, Ed Lowe, Steven Chan.
Volunteers
Lyme Youth Arts committee. Tax, Georgie & Maddy Williams for their behind the scenes support. Lyme Radio, Nomad, Mary and Bill.
Training & Accreditation.
Dorset County Council Introduction to Youth Work.
Plymouth Music Action Zone ‘Soundskills and MusicLeader.net‘ Arts Award.
Trainees:
Peer mentoring, group work, music leader, events management, skill sharing.
Project Manager:
CPD (Continued Professional Development) ‘Amonite’ Dorset’s Cultural Leadership Programme.
