Leading music company Hal Leonard Europe has announced Uke au péri – an after-school music education programme taking place in the region of Alsace, France.
Uke au péri provides training for participating teachers to be able to deliver composition workshops in after-school programmes. The curriculum for the programme has been created by famous YouTuber, educator and musician Frédéric Fieffé. Hal Leonard Europe has supplied the educators with a bundle containing a Flight Ukulele, tuner, and sheet music to support the 10 online sessions, which are led by Fieffé.
French after-school centres, where children enrol from the age of four, hire amateur artists who care for nearly 4 million children, but often do not implement musical practice as part of their programmes. Centres are financed by the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF) for the most part, but also by the local authorities and depend on the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports.
Hal Leonard Europe has recently expanded its presence in France by opening an office located in the heart of Colmar, and it pleased to be able to support music education in the local community. Following the completion of the pilot in June, the company will give a prize for the best original song to come out of the workshops. If Uke au péri is successful, then the intention is then to seek support to roll out the programme on a national scale.
Frédéric Fieffé said, ‘Music is the most natural way of expression and of learning. It is therefore necessary to bring back music in after-school activities – and what better way than with the sunniest musical instrument there is: the ukulele!’
Tom Farncombe, Business Development Director, Hal Leonard Europe, said, ‘We are very excited to launch this after-school music scheme as part of celebrating Hal Leonard Europe’s office opening in Colmar. Our vision is for lifelong music making for everyone, and the ukulele offers a fun and accessible way to start young music makers on their journey. We’re delighted to work with Frédéric and look forward to hearing the results of this first programme!’
