Good Habits’ ‘Music for All’ Participatory Workshops

Multi-disciplinary duo Good Habits (UK) offer all-ages participatory music and theatre
workshops that aim to inspire and stretch student’s ideas of what is possible within
the performance arts.

Good Habits are a UK alternative-folk duo composed of singer-cellist Bonnie Schwarz and
accordionist Pete Shaw. They create folk-infused songs that test the limits of their traditional
instruments; maintaining folk roots of musical storytelling amongst their energetic, virtuosic
playing. "The duo are musical tricksters..There's a rare emotional warmth and fullness to
Good Habits' sound..’’ Songlines

Covid-19 saw them 'stranded' in New Zealand whilst on tour. In the year since, Good Habits
have performed alongside a line up of New Zealand’s top acts including Nadia Reid, Ria Hall
and Lost Tribe Aotearoa and were winners of Purbeck Folk Rising Award. The release of
their debut album, ‘Going For Broke’, gained them shining reviews in Songlines,
appearances in National Paper NZ Herald, and a tight tour schedule including performances
at New Zealand’s largest festivals: CubaDupa, Splore, TSB Festival of Lights, Resolution
and many more.

Watch/Listen/Find out more via their Website - Here

Music for All:
Bonnie and Pete are both multidisciplinary artists with a rich background of facilitation and
teaching in various different environments. They graduated from The University of
Manchester (Bhons Music and Drama, Bhons Music) and then continued to work freelance
across the city. Together, they share a passion and understanding of the social impact that
accessible and interactive live art can have on all people, particularly young people.

Bonnie studied with Theatre in Prisons and Probation Centres known

as TiPP who she then went on to work with, leading music and
drama workshops in prisons across the North West. She has also
worked as a house mother and young orchestra teacher at Magdalen
Farm Strings (youth music residential) and as a drama facilitator with
Manchester youth theatre companies (Contact Theatre and ODD
Arts). Also with Contact, she worked as an ‘Assistant Artist’ with
Contact Young Company in collaboration with Battersea Arts Centre;
as part of the project she worked with some of the UK’s leading
artists championing access (Jess Thom, Nikie Wildin, Jackie Hagan)
to ensure the show was accessible and enjoyable for all.

After graduating, Pete focused his experience on working with young

people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, working within Pupil
Referral Unit Schools, as well as teaching with the Tutor Trust. He
led large group music workshops in the UK specialising in folk music.
In New Zealand he worked as a peripatetic music teacher for House
Of Sound across Kapiti Schools in 2020. He is also a musical
volunteer for the Alzheimer's Society in the UK for their ‘Singing For
The Brain’ programme.

Accessibility:
Good Habits were the first creative company in Aotearoa to premier the use of Integrated
Audio Description into their performance at BATS Theatre with the NZ Fringe 2021.
Their show was captioned and had a touch tour beforehand for anyone wanting one.
This resulted in them being nominated for the ‘The Arts Access Creative New Zealand Arts
For All Award’.

What we offer:
Our workshops are extremely flexible and tailored to the wants/needs of the people involved,
however in a typical workshop, we would:
- Begin with creative, musical activities getting to know the interests and curiosities of
the people involved.
- Set creativity generating exercises within smaller groups that focus on lyric
writing/narrative storytelling.
- Aim towards the creation of group songs/small pieces to be performed at the end.
During their nationwide music tour, Good Habits will offer our ‘Music and Theatre Workshop’
as a ‘pay what you can’ as we are aware that the funding for visits such as these varies from
school to school.
However it is our priority to reduce the barriers preventing young people from participating in
arts, so we accept what you can afford and also ask that you can afford a sustainable and
fair amount (suggested $500) this would enable Good Habits to continue operating
sustainably and bringing more positive, shared experiences to young people across
Aotearoa.