Tag: west norfolk music centre

Open Day Success

We offered youngsters an opportunity to begin a lifelong love affair with music when we hosted an open day at the weekend.

We have been providing instrumental music, theory and singing opportunities for West Norfolk’s talent for the last four decades, and our chair Derek Stringer is hopeful that Saturday’s event will be the start of many more journeys of musical discovery.

“Since the start of the academic year, we’ve had people going into lots of local schools, putting the word out and showcasing the many opportunities that we offer at the centre, so it was great to see so many people come along and enjoy themselves,” he said.

We offer lessons in a wide range of instruments, as well as the opportunity to join a range of vocal and instrumental groups, for all ages and levels of ability. No audition or previous experience is required for entry, just a willingness to learn.

“We had a great turn-out and I’m hoping they were impressed by the showcase of activities that we offered,” Derek continued.  “A lot of our groups performed on the day, playing all different kinds of music, there were try-out sessions, and teachers on hand to talk in more depth to anyone who was interested.

“Everyone who turned up was automatically entered into a raffle to win lessons in the instrument of their choice, so I think we made all our guests as welcome as we could, and as far as I could see, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.”


Derek added: “One of the centre’s greatest strengths is its people, and so many of them have been part of the place for years, even decades.

“We want to promote the centre as a family venue, and looking around at our staff, it’s clear that this is the case, so if we widened the family circle on Saturday, I would be absolutely delighted.”

Over the last 40 years, countless local musicians have come through our doors to embark on their own musical journeys, all of which are as unique as the individuals involved – and that, says Derek, is the joy of music, and the joy of being part of the centre.  

“Music can be with you for your whole life, it’s a passion you can take anywhere, and which can take you anywhere,” he said. “In a divided world, music is a unifying force, and a bringer of happiness. So if by opening our doors on Saturday, we’ve inspired someone to get involved, we’ve helped to spread that joy and make the world a better place.”  

Campaign launched to encourage youngsters into music

West Norfolk Music Centre has launched a campaign to encourage more children in West Norfolk to discover and develop an interest in instrumental music and singing.

The teaching of music has been recognised as being hugely beneficial to wider education, and it is with this in mind that we have launched a new drive for younger members attending both primary and secondary schools.

Aspiring musicians are not required to have taken any exams, or to go through any audition process, all that is needed is enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and a love of music.

Lessons on offer include piano and keyboard, woodwind, brass, strings, guitar and ukulele, singing, theory of music, drums and percussion, and the centre is also the base of the West Norfolk Youth Choir.

We are a registered charity which has been facilitating Saturday morning musical education in King’s Lynn for more than four decades, and we’re supported by the Norfolk Music Hub.  

We offer instrument hire, music lessons and chances to join groups and choirs, and many of our staff and trustees have connections with the centre going back for decades, with several of them having initially become involved through their own children’s music lessons, and having remained connected long after they left.  

One such person is our chair, Derek Stringer, whose wife and three children all learned to play instruments at the centre, and who has been involved with it for 25 years.  

“What I like most about the centre is that it gives people of all ages and abilities a chance to get involved and discover the joy of playing together with others,” he said. “Anyone who cares about music is more than welcome to come along and see where they fit in.

“Seeing people make the journey from being confronted with a new piece of music at the start of the term, to being able to perform it at the end of term concert, is a joyous experience for us all, and that’s the beautiful thing about music, and particularly why it can be so good for children.”

In the new school year, we aim to get out into as many West Norfolk schools as possible, to take the message directly to youngsters, and as a follow-up to this, we will be holding an open day in October, with details to be confirmed soon.

“Music is all around us, and can be a lifelong companion for happiness, learning and socialising,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be part of an organisation that can introduce this to people’s lives, so please, come and join us.”

Make More Music

For children and young people just starting to learn an instrument, come and join our new starter band and singing group, and make more music! Playing in a group is a great way to develop your playing skills, as well as learning how to play together and to read music. Singing will help you learn pitch, rhythm and the other elements of music.

On Saturdays from April 2022, the starter band (10.30am to 11.10am) and singing group (11.20am to midday) will be open to new members. There are no auditions, and you certainly don’t need to be an expert — even if you have only learnt one or two notes on your instrument, we’ll make sure that you can take part.

We don’t have a strict age limit for the group; we expect most members will be in School Years 5 to 8. As members develop as musicians, they will be able to move on to our intermediate and community groups at no extra charge. Membership is £20 a term (equivalent to £2 a week) for primary-age children, and £30 a term (equivalent to £3 a week) for children at secondary school.

See our flyer and poster below:

dl-flyer-webDownload

Autumn groups: West Norfolk Music Centre waives fees

The Trustees of West Norfolk Music Centre have decided to waive all group membership fees this term, and to invite members to make donations instead.

At this time of uncertainty, we cannot be sure that our groups will continue to run for the whole term. We are monitoring legislation and guidance, and the local situation, closely and we will continue decide, week to week, whether we can and should remain open.

We also recognise that we cannot offer the full Music Centre experience this term, with limited numbers and equipment, social distancing, and no refreshments or breaks for socialising. In terms of economic impact, some members may be affected more than others, and we do not want to exclude members who are facing uncertainty in their income or jobs at this time.

Music Centre remains in a strong financial position, thanks to the generosity of the legacy of Michael Janson and Varuni Roberts, and we are therefore in a position to waive our usual charges this term. However, there are still costs involved in running the groups (rent, staff, teachers), and we will be without some of our usual sources of income (refreshments, concert tickets), so we are inviting members to contribute to our ongoing costs if they can.

Members who take individual lessons are eligible for free group membership as usual, and lesson fees are currently reduced for those taking lessons online or at home.

We are currently working towards registration with HMRC, so as to allow us to claim Gift Aid on donations, but in the meantime donations via PayPal Giving Fund are eligible for Gift Aid.

Music at Heritage Open Day

Come and see musicians from West Norfolk Music Centre playing solos and duets at King’s Lynn Town Hall as part of the annual Heritage Open Day on Sunday 10 September. Spend the rest of the day in town exploring historic and notable buildings, riding the vintage bus or seeking out the wide range of events.

Our young players and adult students will be playing music from baroque to modern, classical to jazz, on a range of instruments. Find us in the Assembly Room at the Town Hall at 12pm, 1.30pm or 2.30pm. You can come and go as you please — listen to just one piece or stay a little longer — and it’s free of charge!

Music Centre singers to perform alongside Tenors Unlimited at Corn Exchange

Our very own West Norfolk Youth Choir join forces with our senior choir and with King’s Lynn Rock Choir in a performance with Tenors Unlimited at King’s Lynn Corn Exchange this May. Set aside Saturday 14 May in your diaries, and look out for more information — including ticket availability for family or friends — here and at Music Centre!

New Term starts today!

West Norfolk Music Centre’s spring term starts today. It’s not too late to start with us, just ask about the opportunities which are still open. We are still looking for more players to join our wind bands and orchestra.

flyer3-page001We would also like to welcome more young people to our children’s choir, now West Norfolk Youth Choir, so if you are between the ages of 7 and 14 and love music, contact us now. There are no auditions, all you need is a voice and the enthusiasm to sing in a group.

Happy New Year!!