A collection of 25 works for flexible instrumentation by

Lucy Pankhurst

PUZZLE PIECES – INTRODUCTION

PUZZLE PIECES is a collection of new flexible works by award-winning British composer Lucy Pankhurst, written as part of the MECLA (Music Education and Cultural Learning Alliance) 3 year project, funded by Erasmus+, with Accent Music Education Hub as the lead organisation.
Watch the video introduction below to see how it works!

Puzzle Pieces revolutionises instrumental tuition...

… by making it possible to combine a huge range of instruments, ensembles and ability groups into structured programmes designed to focus on particular elements of music – pitch, rhythm, melody and many others.

Puzzle Pieces can be used...

… for ANY instrumental tuition, whether it’s a group of beginner guitars, a whole class primary music lesson with mixed instruments, a Wider Opportunities year group, a music centre ensemble or an individual learner.

Puzzle Pieces allows schools and/or music services to offer...

… a complete structured instrumental tuition programme over up to 6 terms with links to the National Curriculum.

And most importantly,

… Puzzle Pieces is entirely funded and therefore completely free!

Some reactions from Puzzle Pieces users…

Every child has felt a sense of success because they’ve been playing the same piece of music but at different levels… children who find it a little bit harder have still been able to feel that real sense of achievement playing as part of a band

Steph Kidd, Headteacher, Beechwood Primary School

PlayDays are amazing! There are loads of us performing together. I was nervous to start with but then I just loved it. Can’t wait to do it again!

Primary School Pupil

The Erasmus pieces have breathed completely new life into my whole class lessons. Having the backing tracks and having the differentiation has really made a difference, and I really feel that children are more engaged with the pieces, especially in some more challenging classes.

Lawrence Hulme, Guitar Tutor, Halton & Warrington Music Support Service

My favourite thing is when all the children in our school that play an instrument all come together in assembly and our parents come to listen!

Primary School Pupil

Today has been one of our summer concerts at one of my primary schools, so what we did as a grand finale was we joined all the ensembles together that the school have running… Year 1 were playing Level 1 on the Boomwhackers, we had a variety of levels on the guitars and my Year 6 woodwind were playing Level 3, all with the backing track, so the school actually had its own school band.

Andrea Price, Tutor, Halton & Warrington Music Support Service

I still get involved with the PlayDay things now. Even though I’m more advanced, we still join together and we still play together so it’s nice to be able to watch the other members of the band progress the same way I did.

Madgey Thompson, 17, Halton Wind Band

If this is the first time you have visited this site, find out more details of this amazing project (including another video showing the pieces in action across the borough of Halton and Warrington) by checking out the About Puzzle Pieces page!