Dear Current Music Hub Partner / Associate,

We are delighted to announce the Department for Education and Arts Council England have awarded Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) the role of Hub Lead Organisation for the new Music Hub to encompass Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire from September 2024. GCC will lead as part of a strong consortium of the Swindon Music Service and The Music Works charity, and will go by the initial name of GSW Music Hub.

We look forward to working with all stakeholders, schools, delivery partners and music tutors across the new geographical music hub area, but most importantly we are passionate about ensuring the continuation and development of high quality, inclusive music education for all of the young people in this collective geography, both whilst this transition occurs and into the future.

Change can be challenging, but also brings exciting new horizons and invites welcome partnerships between our kindred professionals. We want to reassure everyone who is part of the current music hubs’ delivery landscape that it is our intention to maintain the established delivery models for the academic year 24/25 wherever possible, whilst meaningful needs analysis work is done over the next year.

We will be offering both virtual and face-to-face sessions for any stakeholders to ask questions and to meet the consortium members in due course during the Summer Term.

If we could ask for your patience in the first instance whilst we liaise with ACE to understand the final HLO T&Cs and then we will be in touch again shortly with further information.

In the meantime, if you or any associates wish to be part of our mailing list please email GSWMusicHub@gloucestershire.gov.uk  and we’ll ensure we keep you up to date with developments. There is also a webpage where you will find FAQs which we will be adding to regularly to answer any relevant questions: https://www.makemusicgloucestershire.org.uk/gsw-music-hub-new-sept-2024/

We look forward to building on the fantastic work of the last 10+ years by the current music hubs and enabling even more young people to find or develop their musical potential in line with the National Plan for Music Education.

For any comms in the meantime, please email GSWMusicHub@gloucestershire.gov.uk rather than replying to this email – many thanks.

Very best wishes,

Lisa Mayo (and on behalf of Peter Clark, CEO Swindon Music Service and Deborah Potts, CEO The Music Works)

SYM Senior Wind Band

Congratulations to the SYM Senior Wind Band who will be performing at the Birmingham Symphony Hall on Friday 7th July at the Music For Youth National Festival.

SYM wins two trophies

The SYM Ukulele group won the 1st prize for :Class G30 – Ukulele Ensemble Secondary School Age.

Adjudicator’s Remarks:

A great sound and vocalist.  I would love to see if you could start experimenting with the strumming patterns to really give us a slightly difference twist.  Excellent crescendo getting towards the end of the song which was really effective. Well played.  Mark 87 Category: Distinction

The SYM Brass Ensemble won the 1st prize for: Class E2 – Ensembles Secondary School Age.

Adjudicator’s Remarks:

James Bond

An effective opening and there was some particularly impressive work from the 2 young 1st trumpeters.  The ensemble worked well here with good balance and the intonation was mostly secure and you conveyed the character of the music with some conviction.

Hall of the Mountain King

Be careful of your tuning on the 1st note!  Again good ensemble work with some excellent support from the young drummer and you managed the gradual accelerando well and built well into the exciting finish.  A most impressive group – well played!  Mark 88 Category: Distinction

The government launched the long awaited 2nd National Plan for Music Education (NPME2) on 22nd June 2022 entitle: ‘The Power of Music to Change Lives’.

Sets out our vision for music education and how this can be achieved through partnerships with schools, music hubs, the music and creative sector, and others.

The new plan can be seen here.

Keep up to date with us with our brand new Face Book Page!

SMS – Swindon Young Musicians | Facebook

We re-launched our face-to-face SYM groups and ensembles on Saturday 12th September.  This has been managed through using the DfE Guidance for Out-of-School- Services.

Children & young people arrived at the Platform with huge smiles on their faces very keen to start making music once again and it was great  hear the music-making spilling out of the building once more.

The children went away with huge beams on their faces content that they are making music together once more – long may it last!

We are looking to welcome our  members of SYM back from 12th September, but with COVID-19 restrictions.

Our services will be designed taking into account the Government guidance. You can view the guidance here.

SYM will be activities will be offered in a different way but we will work to get back to our normal services as soon as the guidance and advice allows us too.

You can view our frequent asked questions (FAQs) here.

If you are looking for activities for your child(ren) to do whilst at home and they are interested in instrumental lessons, we can help!  For as little as £10 per session, we can delivery on-line tuition to you in your home.

To find out more, click the link at the bottom of our home page.

Due to the governement anouncment we have had to cancel the instrumental lessons at SYM tomorrow (Sat 21st March).  We will be in touch shortly to explain how instrumental lessons can continue during this challenging time.

Due to the government announcement today about encouraging people not to attend pubs, restaurants and theatres, Swindon Music Service has taken the initiative to cancel  the schools Junior Festivals on Wednesday 18th & and Thursday 19th March 2020.

The Make a Noise events scheduled for March 2020 are also cancelled.

If you have purchased tickets, you can request a refund from the Wyvern box office