4 CHOOSING AN INSTRUMENT

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2 CONTENTS 3 About Us 4-5 Choosing an Instrument 6 Hands on Events 7 Music Makers 8 How to Apply 9 Frequently Asked Questions 10 Fees 11 Buying/Hiring an Instrument 12 Exams 13 Our Music Centres 14 Our Ensembles 15 Ensemble Grid 16 Schools 17 Singing Festival & Live@The Rose 18 Wider Opportunities 19 The Big Racket 20 Instrumental Festival 21 Music Therapy 22 Accessing Music Therapy 23 Contact Us

3 ABOUT US We deliver a range of high quality musical experiences by providing instrumental tuition to pupils in schools and our music centres which are home to our wide range of ensembles. We also work closely with schools to deliver the Wider Opportunities programme and organise hugely popular events including the Singing Festival, Instrumental Festival and The Big Racket. Our Hands On events give children the chance to discover which instrument is right for them, and the Music Therapy department offers a range of services both in-house and on an outreach basis. 3

4 4 CHOOSING AN INSTRUMENT choosinganinstrument Helping your child decide which instrument to learn can be a daunting task. To help you choose we have listed the instruments we offer by instrumental family. Detailed information can be found on our website including which instruments are offered at each school. Brass Brass tuition is generally available from Year 3. The majority of younger pupils will start on a cornet or a trumpet but the options widen out as children get older. We offer tuition on a wide range of brass instruments including: Cornet, Trumpet, Baritone, Euphonium, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba Guitar Guitar tuition (excluding electric and bass) is generally available in Years Tuition in Electric and Bass Guitar is offered from Year 7 onwards. Piano and Keyboard Piano and Keyboard lessons are generally available from Year 2.

5 CHOOSING AN INSTRUMENT Percussion and Drum Kit Primary Schools Years 1-6 We offer general percussion lessons both at school and in our Music Centres. Pupils are taught on tuned percussion instruments and the snare drum. Secondary Schools Years 7-13 We offer drum kit and percussion lessons to pupils in Years These can be taken at school or in our Music Centres. 5 Strings Tuition in violin and viola is generally offered from Year 2. Cello is available from Year 3. Voice Voice lessons are generally available from Year 3 upwards. Woodwind Recorder lessons are usually available from Year 2. Woodwind lessons are generally available from Years 3-4.

6 HANDS ON EVENTS Hands On is designed to help you and your child decide which instrument is best for them to learn. 6 Suitable for those aged 4-16, children are encouraged to try out as many instruments as they like to discover which one suits them best. Children are guided by our Associate Teachers who are available to assist, demonstrate and answer any questions about the instruments. Admission to Hands On is free. You do not need to book in advance and we are more than happy for younger siblings to attend. Please be aware that, as our Associate Teachers spend time showing children how to hold and produce a sound on each instrument, visitors will most likely have to wait to try out instruments.

7 7 MUSIC MAKERS Music Makers is a Foundation Course for Year 1 pupils. Children are taught in small groups where they acquire an understanding of basic music concepts in a practical way. Music Makers helps pupils develop their aural skills, singing accuracy and note reading, cementing these core skills using pitched and unpitched percussion instruments. Most importantly the children have fun, develop self-confidence and an enthusiasm for performing and learning about music. The majority of children involved in Music Makers go on to take up an instrument in Year 2.

8 8 HOW TO APPLY Applications can be made via our website or using a paper form available from your child s school. Paper forms should be posted to us using the address on the form. On receipt of your completed form, your child will be placed on the relevant waiting list(s). You will not hear from us until a place becomes available, at which point we will send you a written offer and an invoice for tuition fees.

9 9 Frequently Asked Questions A full list of FAQ is available on our website. How many pupils are in a beginner group? It depends on the instrument, but most beginners start tuition in a group of four pupils. Piano may start up in smaller groups. How long is a group lesson? A standard beginner group is 30 minutes long. When do lessons take place? The vast majority of lessons take place during the school day, including over break and lunch times. Will I need to provide an instrument for my child? Yes. Information about hiring and buying instruments can be found on page 11 of this brochure and on our website. Do you offer any assistance with fees to those on a low income? Yes. Please see page 10 for information on our Remission Scheme.

10 10 FEES Our fees are shown in full on our website. Most beginner pupils will start in a 30 minute group lesson (3-4 pupils). Assistance with Fees Our Remission Scheme supports families for whom financial hardship may otherwise have prevented their child(ren) from receiving instrumental tuition with us. Those in receipt of: Income Support Job Seekers Allowance Housing Benefit Council Tax Rebate Free school meals may be entitled to receive a fee reduction of up to 70%. Where stocks allow we will also try to provide your child with an instrument to learn on. Please note that we are only able to offer the reduced fee for one instrument per child.

11 Buying/Hiring an Instrument To make the time your child has with their teacher as productive as possible it s very important to have an instrument to practise on at home. There are several shops which stock beginner instruments to buy or hire, and these will happily advise you on the best option for your child. If you would like to have the instrument ready for their first lesson then it s important that you take your child with you to the shop to confirm the correct size of instrument. Contact details for local music shops are listed on our website. 11

12 12 Exams Examinations are a good way of measuring a pupil s progress, and also provide an internationally recognised benchmark in terms of achievement. Taking an exam can help to motivate pupils by setting a series of realistic goals to work towards. Whilst we support pupils who choose the exam route, taking grades is not a statutory requirement. No pupil will be forced to take an exam. Entry is suggested by the teacher, and it is then up to pupils and parents to decide whether to go ahead with the exam. Our website has pages dedicated to the exam process. The ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall pages include links to useful sites and there is information on exam deadlines and what to expect on exam day.

13 Our Music Centres We have four Music Centres offering a wide range of activities which open on a weekly basis during term time. The centres are home to the majority of RMT Ensembles and also welcome pupils who take instrumental lessons out of school hours. Theory lessons are available at two of our centres. The Ensembles Grid on page 15 shows which ensembles meet at each centre. Each Music Centre has its own page on our website. These pages give details on the centre s location/opening hours, its manager, what days the centre is open, which instruments are available to learn and term/concert dates. 13

14 14 Our Ensembles From the symphony orchestra to rock band, and catering for the beginner pupil to the advanced level student, our ensembles welcome new members at any point in the academic year. Regular performance opportunities give ensemble members the chance to work through the process of learning a piece from the initial sight-read to the thrill of playing in front of an audience. FREE TRIAL SESSIONS FOR ALL ENSEMBLES Committing to an ensemble can be a big decision, so we offer a free trial session for those thinking of joining us. ACTIVITY PASSPORT All of our ensembles, including theory lessons, are covered by the RMT Activity Passport. By purchasing a passport you have access to all ensembles which are suitable for your instrument and level. Passport fees are listed on our website. Pupils who are learning with us and pay reduced fees (see page 10) qualify for a free passport.

15 15 Suitable For Voice Drum Kit Tuned Percussion Keyboard Piano Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Guitar Trombone Tuba Euphonium French Horn Tenor Horn Baritone Trumpet Cornet Recorder Bassoon Oboe Saxophone Clarinet Flute Double Bass Cello Viola Violin All Instruments Centre Ensemble Day Grade Sat Theory Sat All Sat Rock Pop & Jazz Jun Sat 11yrs Sat Junior String Ensemble Sat 1-3 Sat Training Orchestra Sat 2-5 Sat Jazz Band Sat 4+ Sat Chamber Group Sat 4-7 Sat Rock Pop & Jazz Sen Sat 11yrs Sat Brass Band Sat 2+ Briar Rd Drum and Percussion Tues 2-3 Briar Rd Drum and Percussion Mon 1-2 Briar Rd Drum and Percussion Tues 3-4 Briar Rd Keyboard Ensemble Thurs 1+ Midweek Theory Wed All Midweek String Hour Wed 0-2 Midweek Guitar Ensemble Wed 1+ Midweek Junior Concert Band Wed 1-3 Sheen Sheen Band Wed 0-3 n/a Symphony Orchestra Tues 5+ n/a Youth Concert Band Wed 4+

16 16 Schools We provide a range of activities and largescale events to support and develop music in primary and secondary schools. As well as working with individual schools, we aim to bring together pupils and teachers from different locations, enabling them to work with and learn from each other. We are keen to provide help and advice for music coordinators and head teachers; our Primary Network meetings for music coordinators take place each term and focus on aspects of the music curriculum. The termly newsletter, Music Update, informs primary schools about forthcoming events and activities and also provides information about current developments in music education.

17 17 Singing Festival and The Rose Singing Festival Since its introduction in 2000, the Singing Festival has grown substantially and is now the musical highlight of the year for many schools. The festival, which involves approximately 2000 children, aims to bring pupils, teachers and parents together to celebrate singing by inspiring and supporting schools in their development of vocal work. The festival culminates in a number of colourful and exciting gala concerts at the impressive Rose Theatre in Kingston. Live@ The Rose In 2010, the Primary Singing Festival was extended to include a separate secondary event. Live@ The Rose gives singers the unique and uplifting opportunity to perform with a live band in an inspiring venue. Each year, this event for secondary singers features solo singers, vocal groups and choirs performing current and contemporary songs inspired by the theme, which changes annually.

18 18 Wider Opportunities Wider Opportunities is designed to give all KS2 children the chance to play an instrument as an integral part of National Curriculum music lessons. Wider Opportunities runs in KS2 schools across the borough. The programme, which includes a Vocal stage, covers strings, woodwind, brass, guitar, keyboard and percussion and is managed by Richmond Music Trust working in partnership with schools. Each school has been provided with a whole class set of instruments which stays in the school for the duration of the programme. Whilst participating in the scheme, pupils are loaned an instrument free of charge.

19 19 The Big Racket The Big Racket is a celebration of two important aspects of the Trust s work; our Wider Opportunities programme and our instrumental ensembles. The event takes place in the vast Tennis Arena at St Mary s College, Twickenham, which is transformed into an impressive concert venue for the occasion. The concerts are designed to give the many young players learning through the Wider Opportunities programme the experience of playing together in a huge band or orchestra with advanced players from RMT ensembles. The children are joined by RMT instrumental and vocal teachers, many of whom are professional performers, and also by special guest musicians.

20 20 Instrumental FESTIVAL The annual Instrumental Day for KS2 school orchestras and bands takes place during the summer term. Young players and their teachers have the chance to work with professional composer-conductors and with RMT Instrumental Team Leaders. The day is an exciting and challenging experience for young players, giving them a flavour of life as a member of a large professional orchestra. Included in the schedule are sectional and massed rehearsals, performance opportunities for individual school ensembles and massed performances of music composed especially for the day. Schools can register an existing school ensemble or a group of players who would like the chance to work with musicians from other schools. Parts for the massed piece are written to accommodate players of different levels, from Grade 1 upwards. There is no upper limit and parts can be supplied for advanced players.

21 21 Music Therapy Our Music Therapists are skilled in enabling anyone to make music by supporting unique forms of expression and unlocking creativity. Our team is experienced in reaching those who are isolated or withdrawn and are finding interpersonal contact and communication difficult. We are committed to providing a high quality Music Therapy service which is accessible to all. In addition to being tailored to meet the needs of the individual, sessions also aim to support the work of parents, carers, teachers, and health and social care professionals. OUR SERVICES In-House We offer both individual and group sessions at our fully equipped studio in Twickenham. Sessions are usually held on a weekly basis for minutes at a time. A waiting area for parents and carers is available. Our premises is easily accessible by public transport, and we have parking facilities and good access for wheelchair users. Outreach Our outreach service covers mainstream and special schools, supported homes/day centres for adults and private family homes. Outreach work can be set up as a pilot project or renewed on an annual basis.

22 22 Accessing Music Therapy Our website explains our services in full. To access therapy you will need to complete a referral form. Referrals can be made by parents, carers, teachers, SENCO or any professional working with the client within an educational, health or social care setting. Adults are welcome to refer themselves. Forms are available to download from the website. Return your completed form to us and we will contact you to arrange an initial Music Therapy Assessment. Assistance with fees We give sympathetic consideration to families where financial hardship may prevent an individual from accessing our Music Therapy Service. Those in receipt of certain benefits may be entitled to receive a 40%-70% reduction in fees.

23 RICHMOND UPON STOOP THAMES MEMORIAL COLLEGE GROUND Harlequins R.F.C LONDON RD TWICKENHAM 23 Contact Us Our offices are based at: Richmond Music Trust 7 Briar Road Twickenham Middlesex TW2 6RB Phone: Fax: admin@richmondmusictrust.org.uk TO WHITTON MEREWAY RD RICHMOND MUSIC TRUST P BRIAR RD GOULD RD COLNE RD MAY GRAVEL RD STAINES RD (A305) ROAD 1ST CROSS ROAD CRANE ROAD HAMPTON RD (A311) EDWIN WARWICK RD COLNE RD ALBION ROAD TWICKENHAM GREEN THE GREEN THE GREEN HAMILTON RD ROAD TALBOT RD RD MARSH FARM LION ROAD HEATH GARDENS LAUREL AVE TO STRAWBERRY HILL GROVE AVE STATION ROAD CLIFDEN ROAD HEATH ROAD (A305) SAVILLE ROAD RADNOR ROAD TENN YSON AVE CROSS SHERLA ND COPTHALL GDNS QUEENS ROAD ROAD DEEP GDNS LONDON ROAD GROSVENOR ROAD P HOLLY CROSS DEEP ROAD ST KING WHARF ARRAGON ROAD THE YORK ST CHURCH ST P EMBANKMENT BY CAR Briar Road is just off the Staines Road near Twickenham Green. There is free parking on Briar Road and we have further parking to the rear of the building. Please park in spaces marked 7. BY BUS Routes H22, 110, 490, 267, 281, 290 and R70 all stop nearby. BY TRAIN Nearby stations include Strawberry Hill, Fulwell and Twickenham mainline. BY TUBE Nearest tubes include Richmond (District line) and Hounslow East (Piccadilly line). You will need to transfer to train or bus to complete your journey to Briar Road.

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