We Can All Make Music.

On this site

An important part of what we do is to try to develop a language which describes our activities, and the values which lie beneath them, in ways which are easy to understand. In other words, or more specifically, paralleling the words of Martin Luther King: “What [CMV’s attempting] to do is talk right down-to-earth, in a language that everybody here can easily understand”. This is not as easy as it may sound, because so much has been written about music, from so many different perspectives, that it's quite easy to become totally confused. At the very least, we're trying to be clear about where we're coming from and where we want to go, and we’ve put together some text which will hopefully help you to appreciate what we’re doing (and why).

Here's what we’ve got so far (and where you can find it):

Quick fixes: some short answers.

Navigation bar: introductions.

How - Practice: some guides to “doing music”.

Why - Philosophy: why we do what we do.

Linked lists: what others are doing and thinking on the subject of community music.

Reports, speeches and papers: some of our longer responses to stuff.

Please note: entries marked with an asterisk (*) are considered “works in progress” and may not be currently available.

Quick fixes

Short answer	What's so important about making music together?
Victoria, the singing state	Promo for Victoria Sings
Victoria Sings: what and why	Victoria Sings, the summary
The 5 essentials	The training topics not to be missed

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Navigation bar

Introducing ourselves	What we are & what we do
The CMV team	Names and functions
Everyday people	Our personal backgrounds
Introducing Victoria Sings	Background
Our services	Detailed description of the range

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How – Practice

Onward	Our strategic objectives
Singing together is fun	What happens at Vocal Noshes and singing circles
Key activities for group singing leadership days	The practice that informs our training curriculum
Training curriculum	The content of our training
A Notional Graduate Certificate	What a course in an institution might look like
Why not sing together at your place	Some pointers for agencies
Stuff to do	Some practical approaches to the development of group singing
Local vocals 1	What local government could do for/with community music-making
Local vocals 2	What schools could do for/with community music-making
Local vocals 3	What health promoters could do for/with community music-making
There's a meeting here	Notes to help introduce singing together to 'new' agencies
Step by step	Setting up a singing circle - how CMV can help
Mistaken expectations	Advocating for something that isn't quite what many think it is
Changing perceptions	Our biggest challenge
Telling our stories	The pause that refreshes
*What's it worth	Assessing the impact of group singing
Are we on the right track?	Looking at ourselves

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Why – Philosophy

We can't help it	Why we do what we do
The really meaning thing	Our values and vision
Vocalnoshophy - the Vocal Nosh philosophy	The values behind singing together
Learning to connect	The coincidence of medium and message
Come together	Group singing or singing group - there's a difference?
Ear, Ear	In praise of aural culture
Make show watch	Is there a sound if no-one is listening?
*Making it up	We can all improvise
Singalongs	How they differ from singing circles
*Sessions	Yet another way of making music together
Well, well, well	Group singing and music therapy
What makes singing fun	The biological basis of pleasure
Made to sing - the biological imperative	What scientists and scholars have to say about music's origins
Born to sing, sing to grow	Why singing together is essential to child development
Feeling fine	Why singing together makes us well
Making music makes us strong	Why singing together enhances community strengthening activities
*Instrumental	Where are the drummers?
*Dancing in the streets	Song AND dance
No more need	Perhaps the original function of music is redundant

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Linked lists

New Research and Reports	A listing of stuff we've found recently
Music Research	A bibliography of recent science materials about music
Community music Around the World	List and links to people doing stuff like us
Repertoire sources	Links to websites with songs for sale or free download
People singing together recorded on film	Links to sites of movies and docos about group singing

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Reports, speeches and papers

13/6/08	Features Of Good Singing Leadership	Belinda McArdle reports on the research she's completed with her peers
23/7/07	The Two Of Us	An article for the Rural Women's Network in which Fay White and Anne-Marie Holley recall the beginnings of the Victoria Sings program
7/9/06	The Hammer of Justice	Speech at the Gorgeous Voices Festival
11/9/03	What is community music	Speech to a meeting of music educators
17/8/03	Singing Leaders Gathering	Report about their expressed wishes
25/2/03	Arts Training	Speech to an 'arts industry' forum
15/2/03	Men's Singing	Report on a discussion on men and singing

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CMV - making a sound world together.