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Fledglings Take Flight: Reflections from the Ward – Gloria Xia “After completing their training and shadowing visits with Ros and Mark earlier this year, our Fledglings musicians have stepped into an exciting new phase: the Fledgling Residency. In this stage, musicians work in pairs to deliver independent music sessions on the children’s ward, from babies to older children. While many of them found the idea of going into the hospital without lead musicians a little nerve-wracking at first, their confidence has quickly begun to grow through hands-on experience and mutual support. The sessions themselves are full of spontaneity and joy. There’s singing with parents and children, moments of quiet listening, and sometimes the children themselves take the lead—conducting, choosing instruments, or guiding the mood of the session. One musician shared a particularly joyful experience: “We were playing with a patient who was conducting us with her tambourine. Suddenly, she flipped it mid-song—so Julia flipped her violin in response. The little girl laughed so hard. That laughter really made my day.” As part of the residency, our musicians also engage in regular creative reflections and receive mentor support from Ros and Mark. These moments of pause are key for checking in on wellbeing, reviewing what they’ve learned, and continuing to grow both personally and musically. At the end of the project, they’ll have a chance to gather with fellow Fledglings and share their journeys through the Songbirds website and wider network. Throughout this stage, we’ve seen confidence steadily build. Musicians are becoming more comfortable leading sessions, developing visual and non-verbal cues with one another, and making in-the-moment musical decisions. Their improvisation skills are deepening too—not just in a technical sense, but in a freer, more intuitive way that allows them to respond with openness and creativity. We’re so proud of how far our Fledglings have come—and we’re even
more excited to see how they continue to grow and bring music to life in
beautiful, unexpected ways.” “ Such a brilliant idea to have music on a children’s ward. The two women were lovely and polite and really engaged my son.” Parent feedback, North Manchester General Hospital Below: Fledgling musicians Tammy and Julia with Health Play Specialist Pamela Lord
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