What is Musical Keys?
Musical Keys is a charity which creates music and arts opportunities for people in Norfolk and the surrounding area. Our passion is making music accessible to everyone, to support diverse music-making at a grassroots level and to sustain and improve wellbeing.
We run a number of groups and projects that can be accessed within the community. We provide music therapy within schools and healthcare settings, and numerous partnership engagements with other settings and services across the region.
What is Our Impact?
We run groups and projects which enable participants to meaningfully take part in, and benefit from, music and creativity, where self-expression can thrive.
We reach people of all ages and abilities, primarily through community music and music therapy, in groups and in one-to-one. Our service users include babies undergoing diagnosis and their families, children with complex disabilities, young adults with autism, adults and young people with physical or mental health challenges, children receiving end of life care, those that are socially isolated, and older people living with dementia.
Those taking part in our sessions are supported to maintain or improve their wellbeing by expressing themselves, learning new skills and building confidence and social skills. Additionally our sessions provide a vital support network for families and carers that fosters peer-to-peer support, creating resilient and robust communities.
Read our yearly impact summary here.
2023 in numbers:
1710+
sessions delivered
…to babies, children, young and older adults.
2140+
hours of music made
…from nursery rhymes to hip hop.
1100+
PEOPLE supported
…and in many cases, their families and carers too.
Since 1990 Musical Keys has specialised in using music and creativity to maintain and improve the wellbeing of people in Norfolk. We believe passionately in inclusion and participation and have the skills and experience to provide meaningful activities that include everyone. We work with an amazing team of Community Musicians, Music Therapists and Tutors to provide a bespoke creative experience.
We work with people of all ages over Norfolk and the surrounding area. We strive to reach isolated individuals and families whether that is due to location, social exclusion or as a result of disability.
In addition to welcoming participants to our regular ongoing groups we provide bespoke services to individuals and organisations including Sue Lambert Trust, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice, Vision Norfolk, West Norfolk Autism Group, Nancy Oldfield Trust, Thornage Hall and Norwich Theatre. Find out more about who we work with and how we could work with you.
Our work falls into four areas:
Unite
Regular sessions for 0-5 year olds with additional needs and disabilities, and peer support for their families.
Express
Outreach, one-off and regular ongoing projects for children and adults of all ages and abilities.
Evolve
Activities in schools and colleges to support and engage young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and additional needs.
CONNECT
Music activities for older people living with age-related illness or disability in a social, group setting.
What people say about us:
“This is a wonderful charity, offering opportunities for children and young people with additional needs to engage with music.
Since my son and I have been going to Musical Keys’ Saturday group, he has developed so much. He has begun to do pretend play, turn-taking, saying and gesturing hello and bye, and joining in a group. All the things he struggled with.
Not only has Santi benefited. This group has been very important to me too. During Santi's ASD diagnosis I was stressed, overthinking his future. A bit of music and silliness, a bunch of fab children, along with other understanding parents was just the remedy I needed.”
-Gabriela, Norwich
“I have been going to Musical Keys for 2 years. Oscar (Musical Keys’ practitioner) has been such a good influence to both me and my staff and to all that attend every Friday.
I have had 1 to 1 sessions where I recorded some (of my original) songs onto a cd, this was a dream of mine and all the guys and MK made this a reality. I could not be any happier than I am now.”
- Ami-Rose
Get Involved
Musical Keys needs your support to be able to continue making a difference to people’s lives. There are a number of ways that you can help us from hosting your own coffee morning to corporate sponsorship. You can also support us with your time by becoming a volunteer.