UP THE Tempo, a musical outreach programme for primary school children, began in 2006 with a pilot project in City Quay National School in Dublin, when a group of professional musicians from the National Concert Hall held a week-long workshop.
Given the success of the workshop and the enthusiasm of those who participated, the decision was made to roll out a three-year programme, Up the Tempo, which has to date included more than 500 Dublin schoolchildren, predominantly from disadvantaged areas.
Each May, Ulster Bank Group employees nominate primary schools to take part in the workshops, which focus on tempo, counting and numbers.
The children are encouraged to create their own musical composition, which they perform in concert at the end of the week.
Each participating school also receives a box of musical instruments to encourage those involved to continue their work in music. The children are also encouraged to create artwork in relation to their musical experiences Ulster Bank Group has committed to fund the project for a three-year period as part of its community investment programme.
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
REACH (Recreation Education And Community Health) RCSI Programme in the south inner city
Diageo Ireland Initiatives (KWCD Employer Exchange and St Patrick's Festival)
Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland Initiatives (Skills at Work programme and Designated Driver campaign)
KPMG's Young Social Innovators programme
