A new community music project is being launched in Brecon next month.

‘Artbeat Brecon will run four taster sessions throughout October at Theatre Brycheiniog.

The project is being funded by the UK Community Renewal Fund via the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), and is the brainchild of local musicians and Brecon residents Rod Paton and Hedda Kaphengst.

The driving idea behind ‘artbeat is that everyone is musical and that music has the potential to not only entertain but also to promote well-being, foster good health, build stronger communities and even enhance leadership skills and strengthen teamwork.

The brand new project reaches out to many and varied community groups from the most vulnerable across a wide spectrum via artists, actors, dancers, musicians and other professionals such as health, social care and support workers and even on to the business community.

‘Artbeat Brecon organsiers have said they would extend the project far as the military and the police, who they say may be surprised to discover how music making is not only accessible and enjoyable but also highly relevant to their work.

Organiser Rod Paton said: “Music is often thought of as no more than an accompaniment to life - a distraction, a moving experience or an enjoyable hobby and of course, it is all of those. But music has massive untapped potential as a health-giving and bonding tool, a framework for personal growth and community cohesion, especially when people are given the opportunity to create it for themselves. This is precisely where ‘artbeat enters the picture.

“The project is based on a well-tested and totally accessible method called Lifemusic which brings people together in groups to create their own music (there are no wrong notes!) and to discover the amazing benefits which come from giving back to people the music that belongs to them. Lifemusic puts the ‘hum’ into human and whilst it is life enhancing it is also serious fun!”

To find out more about how Lifemusic works and to get some hands-on experience of what it offers, people are being invited to attend one or more of four taster sessions at Theatr Brycheiniog starting on October 6. These sessions will run each Thursday thereafter from 6pm-9pm, apart from the session on October 20 which runs in the afternoon from 2pm-5pm.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the project can contact Rod Paton directly on [email protected] or to book a place at one or more of the planned sessions contact [email protected]. You can also register directly on Facebook by searching for ‘artbeat Brecon.