What is FeriePULSE and how can it help making banding activities more inclusive? Read along and learn more about this festive initiative.

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FeriePULSE is an initiative from Norges Musikkorps Forbund, which is led by facilitators from Norway and South Africa. The project aims to teach children and young people how to express themselves through inclusive music and movement-based activities from different cultures, regardless of their musical background.

For years, NMF has focused on working with children during vacations, especially children and young people who, for various reasons, are not traveling or participating in other activities.

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This year, NMF approached the FeriePULSE concept in a new way by inviting different band leaders to a leadership seminar in Oslo. The seminar was attended by conductors, interns, and teachers from bands all over Norway, as well as parents and other stakeholders.

Among the band leaders at the seminars were six PULSE participants from South Africa. We presented our methods of getting members to stay in the band longer and making band rehearsal attractive to improve band membership, namely playing while dancing or moving.

The aim of this seminar was to empower and equip the participants with the skills and methods used in FeriePULSE. Through such seminars, NMF hopes to make the band environment even more inclusive and attractive: Using inclusive arrangements, creative movements, and social games, band leaders learn how to make bands safe spaces where youth can freely develop.

The band leaders fully embraced the seminar and came way out of their comfort zone. In the end, they returned home inspired to bring FeriePULSE to their bands. This is already happening since some managers have already hosted the FeriePULSE and have been successfully implemented.

NMF is planning another leadership seminar in 2023 to teach band leaders methods they can use in their bands to make rehearsals inclusive and attractive and to increase attendance.

Written by Lesley Sebola