We recently completed Phase 2 of a partnership Doctor Who Remix Project. The partner was Music for Life, a non-profit music education provider in Cheshire who wanted to expand their service to include electronic music education. The project was exciting for us as it was about integrating electronic music education with acoustic instrument teaching. This project was made possible thanks to funding from Postlethwaite Music Foundation.
We spent 6 afternoons with a class of Year 6 pupils at Helsby Hillside Primary and then went to Helsby High and worked with some Year 7 & 8 students already into music. Once they had learned the tools, techniques and musical notes involved in creating the original Doctor Who theme in 1963, they then set about creating their own remixes of the iconic theme. The primary children used Garageband app to capture and compose with samples and found sounds alongside virtual instruments and then recorded a trumpeter playing their creative re-arranging of Ron Grainer’s Doctor Who melody notes. The High School students formed an ensemble they called “Space Cats” with drumkit, electric guitar, keyboards and Ableton Push with special guest Music for Life teachers on Euphonium, flute and trumpet.
The project culminated in a sharing with families where the children introduced and presented their pieces produced on Garageband, alongside ambient live found sound ensemble performances inspired by the Doctor Who theme which featured spoken words like “spine-tingling” and “cosmic adventure.” The High School students presented a video created from a live recording of their remix.
It was great to see the children and young people grow in confidence as they developed as composers, collaborators, remixers, producers, engineers and instrument players. Once again, Delia’s work inspires the next gen!
Photography credit: W777 Photography, Cheshire
Participants’ and their adults’ responses
- It was very fun and allowed us to explore different tunes and let us use our imagination more
- I like that you have the opportunity to make it as creative and unique as you like
- Unusual, unique, modern, inspiring!
- I love that children have been given the opportunity to explore sound and create music in this way. So accessible using everyday objects and own body
Anything surprise you?
- How simple objects can create such interesting sounds; music can be free and expressive without rules to adhere to
- How much they achieved in a short time
- Yes because I thought we would be using normal instruments, not electronic ones
- Some of the instruments
- The different sounds and pitches
- They used electronic instruments back then (in 1963)
Impacts (according to children and carers)
- Love of electronic music
- I think I have become more creative and grown my imagination. It has also given me a better insight into music
- He has really enjoyed using the Garageband append it has really inspired him
- My son has come home wanting to explore sounds
- I have learned how to use Garageband
What did you/they learn?
- I think they learned alot about putting music together, to create a piece
- Different sounds and making music
- Garageband and that you can use everyday items to make music
- Working together and looking at music beyond traditional instruments
- I learned that not all music is the same and that there all kinds of different musical instruments and music
- How Doctor Who theme music was made
- What sounds different equipment can make
