Campaign expanded to encourage adults to return or get into music

People who used to play musical instruments or who have always wanted to learn are being encouraged to come forward by one of West Norfolk’s biggest musical teaching organisations.

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​For more than 40 years, the West Norfolk Music Centre, which is based at Springwood High School in King’s Lynn, has been working with schools and young people, promoting the teaching and learning of music, in a bid to inspire a lifelong passion.

The Centre, which is a registered charity, recently launched a drive aimed at school-age children which has generated strong initial interest.

Now the centre is also hoping to add older music lovers, whatever their level of experience or expertise, to their ranks as part of their campaign.

One person who can vouch for the Centre’s life changing possibilities is its chair, Derek Stringer, who has been involved with it for 25 years, with all his children – and his wife – having learnt music there.

"An important part of our work is about providing the opportunity to play in bands and ensembles which many schools are unable to do," he explained.

"We want to encourage people of all ages to discover or rediscover the pleasure of playing a musical instrument. There are any number of people in West Norfolk who used to play an instrument at school but who have since stuffed the instrument in the loft and almost forgotten it exists but who, with a bit of encouragement, would appreciate the opportunity to get back into playing again."

He added: “Learning music is known to have wider positive effects in terms of learning, and it’s great that our campaign has had a strong initial response, that now we want to open up even further.”

The Centre, which is supported by the Norfolk Music Hub, offers lessons in strings, brass, woodwind, piano and keyboard, guitar and ukulele, singing, drums and percussion and theory of music.

Derek continued: “We’d love to welcome more adults through our doors, be it someone who played an instrument years ago at school, and has let it fall by the wayside, or someone who always wanted to have a go but never knew how to start – our doors are open, please come in.

“There are no auditions, just come along and have a go. Having adults playing alongside children in a band or ensemble is such fun for all and also spurs the children on.

“Music is an activity that we can all enjoy at any age, and it is also one that we can embrace and start at any age,” added Mr Stringer. “It is one of the most unifying things known to humanity – everywhere, we are all capable of making  music, and we all love music, of so many different kinds, so our mission is to bring music, in all it’s forms to our community anything that helps spread the word and the love of music to people of all ages, can only be a good thing.”

West Norfolk Music Centre operates at Springwood High School during term time Saturday mornings, for more details visit our website at wnmc.org.uk or call Sarah on 07748 067355.