This is Mackenzie with Mom and Dad, having a go at African drumming at Heartlands Hospital last week, on the Children's Ward.

We've now had 2 brilliant weeks of African drumming sessions with Sarah Westwood from Drumvoice. Our sessions are different every time with lots of new faces each week! We are learning some African rhythms and trying improvisation too! It's a lot of fun and the sessions go really quickly :)

First day of African drumming!

Last week we had a brilliant few sessions of African drumming, they were loads of fun! First we had a session at Heartlands Hospital, where we got a good group going - made up of patients, parents and NHS staff. Then we went on to Hutton Hall, where there was a very small but very select group - hopefully we'll have a couple more people this week! Then on to Naseby Centre where we had the biggest and LOUDEST group yet! What a fun day. African drumming is brilliant, I'm learning lots and Sarah's a great music leader! Photos to follow!

Talk to us!

Like us on facebook! www.facebook.com/Music4HH

Follow us on twitter! @Music4HH

Tell us what you think! Ask us things! Share your photos and comments! What music would you like to try out later in the project? Do you like African drumming? Why? What's happening on X Factor? What's your favourite band?

TELL US!

Music project starts today!

Our brilliant project starts TODAY with some African drumming at Heartlands Hospital, Hutton Hall and Naseby Centre - for young people only! Sarah Westwood from Drumvoice (www.drumvoice.co.uk) will be running the sessions.

Thundercats are go!

The Arts Department at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust was awarded a grant from Youth Music to carry out a huge music project with children and young people in Heartlands Hospital and the Hodge Hill community. The project will run from October 2011 - March 2013 and will include hundreds of young people from the area. We're excited to start! Next week workshops will begin at the James Brindley School and on the children's ward at Heartlands, and at youth groups in Hodge Hill. We have an amazing, energetic professional African drumming teacher who will carry out the first series of workshops. Coming up later in the project are DJing, songwriting and rapping workshops, performances, events at Heartlands Hospital and the chance for our young people to achieve an Arts Award. Hooray!