BEATROOTS BATERIA

Beatroots is Reading’s community Samba drumming group. It has been running since 1996 and has performed at many major events and festivals including WOMAD, The Thames Festival and the Olympic Rowing during London 2012. New players are always welcome and absolute beginners can join the band by taking part in a Samba 101 taster workshop.
More experienced players can join any time.

JOIN BEATROOTS

TANKATA PERCUSSION

Learn, develop and rehearse African rhythms played on a mix of traditional drums and percussion including djembes and dun duns. This is an informal workshop leading to opportunities to perform at local events. Complete beginners are welcome and drums are provided. Every Wednesday 7 – 9pm at Readipop Studios.

JOIN TANKATA

Readipop connects with musicians in the community.

We run music meet-ups, provide professional support and high quality gigs.

“[Readipop has] made the most enormous impact on his life and happiness. It has been the most important part of his life since last November”

Parent of Young Person

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“I love this place… My anxiety has completely gone!”

Young Person

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“You have a super way of empowering the young people to help them make decisions.”

Leader of a Reading children’s care service

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"This feels like home”

Young Person

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“Here I am able to relax while there’s been a lot of stress at home.”

Young Person

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THE READIPOP METHOD

MUSIC CHANGING LIVES

Create work that inspires people and improves lives.
Nurture creativity as a vital part of a fulfilled life.
Connect people through a shared love of music.

Our programmes aim to be participant or artist led, focused on original work (where possible) and help to improve confidence and opportunities for the people we work with. Sessions are musically inclusive, involving musicians of varying skill levels, and both social and musical diversity is celebrated. Whether we are providing career support, access to expertise and equipment, music workshops, events, community music projects, school or 1:1 music education or running our music festival we always strive to develop musicianship and create positive change within individuals and groups. Readipop also aims to promote creativity, all whilst listening and aiding individuals to find their own life paths or improve as musicians.

Though Readipop reaches people of many different backgrounds in Reading and the Thames Valley, our focus is always on targeting places where need is greatest. For this reason, we prioritise the needs of marginalised peoples and communities, and others facing hardship in our local community when devising and running new programmes and projects.

From providing weekly interaction through our community bands, to being a young person’s sole place of interaction with education or engagement, Readipop always aims to facilitate ‘Music Changing Lives’.