Note worthy

The Music Technology Conference: Solutions to Challenges will be held on June 11-12. It offers an opportunity to share knowledge and information about technology relating to musical expression and experiences, and on its use to meet special needs. The venue is the Royal Hospital for Neurodisability in London. For details: www.rhn.org.uknec_001.asp#5

Cash injection

Humber region musical organisation Music4U has received a grant of #163;120,000 from Youth Music to continue to offer musical activities across the region for a further year. Music4U is one of 21 “action zones” set up by Youth Music to provide access to workshops for under-18s who would not normally get a chance to make music. To find out more about Music4U’s activities and to watch podcasts of projects, visit www.ncem.co.ukmusic4u

Go for gold

The National Institute of Conductive Education in Birmingham has become the first special needs school to achieve a gold award on the Sing Up programme. The institute works with children and adults with co-ordination difficulties, using rhythm and song to encourage independence and give meaning to movement. The school used the Sing Up website and realised they were already meeting a lot of the requirements, so decided to go for the official award. Now the institute is reaching out to other schools, promoting the benefits of singing in the classroom. For more details on the Sing Up awards programme: www.singup.orgawards.