Online Music sessions

Written by Fiona Sharp (F Sharp Music)

April 2025

 In April 2020 we were well underway with a lockdown due to a global pandemic. At this time Pamis approached me to ask if I would be interested in starting up an online music group for Pamis families across Scotland who were looking for activities to do at home during lockdown.

The thought of using a communication software such as ‘Zoom’ to do live music sessions brought me the absolute fear. How could I possibly lead music sessions online when my sessions are fundamentally focused around tactile communication and social interaction.

 It is now April 2025 and the online music group are still meeting every Wednesday afternoon on Zoom. We continue to have many of our original participants in the group as well as some newer members. I have been reflecting on the past 5 years and it still amazes me how beneficial and positive the online music sessions have been for many of the families. It has been an absolute delight to see friendships form over the years with our weekly participants, who now listen out for each other’s vocalisations at the start of each session.

Over the past 5 years the music group have performed at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, have featured on numerous videos for Pamis projects and have met up for various Pamis music and social events in Glasgow, Dundee and Fife.

 I will always take preference to face-to-face sessions for obvious reasons, however the online sessions have opened up the opportunity for many families across Scotland to come together on a weekly basis in the comfort of their home and play music together. We have shared so many lovely experiences over the years as well as many birthdays, and I could not be more proud of what we have achieved as a group.

 A huge thanks as always to our friends at Pamis, as without them this group would never have existed, and a massive thanks to the families who have come along week after week to support the sessions. 

The photograph accompanying this article features some of our original group participants who still come along each week.

 

 Online music group sessions run every Wednesday at 11.30am and 5pm on Zoom. Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.