The Bandit music project, a four-day rock and pop workshop that has been running in the Stroud District for the last 18 years, returns this April.
Offering between 50 and 70 children, aged between eight and 17, the opportunity to hone their musical skills, be creative with their writing and performing, form bands, and (particularly important, after a long year of lockdown) experience playing live together.
“Bandit was set up because I worked full time in Education at Maidenhill School and they had Specialist Status in Performing Arts,” says organiser and songwriter Kevin Howlett.
“We started out just with students at Maidenhill, with the help from Dartington Plus (Devon). I then kept developing the project, and we invited other students from other schools. The project has just grown from strength to strength, and it has now been running for over 18 years. I also have a great team of professional musicians and teachers that work on the project.
“The project will be run under all the guidelines from the Government in teaching and running an after school project in this Coronavirus pandemic. Also, we also provide between five and 10 places for older students to gain work experience in stage management, live sound, PA setup and lighting. This year, we will be live streaming the final performance, as we cannot have a live audience at the Subscription Rooms.”
The four-day workshop costs £85 and takes place at Maidenhill School in Stonehouse on the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th of April. For more information, or to sign your children up, visit: http://www.banditmusicprojects.co.uk
