London 2012 project leads to free music lessons

Gael Music will deliver free music lessons to pupils across West Berkshire as part of Olympics culture project

CHILDREN in schools across the district are to get hundreds of hours of free music tuition under a project commissioned by West Berkshire Council.

Over the next eighteen months Berkshire-based Gael Music will work with Hermitage, Brimpton, Beenham, Hungerford and Thatcham Park primary schools and John O'Gaunt secondary school to deliver the lessons as part of the Culture Together project, granted a London 2012 Inspire Mark in recognition of 2012 as a year for celebration.

Culture Together forms part of West Berkshire – Enjoy!, a programme of cultural activities, events and performances in which everyone can take part, and has received backing from the chairman of the London organising committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Lord Sebastian Coe.

He said: “I am proud that with the help of partners such as Gael Music, we are delivering our vision to use the power of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to boost participation in cultural activities across West Berkshire.”

In total 180 children will be involved in over 900 music sessions, with nearly 450 hours of free music tuition.

Culture Together celebrates local songs and melodies discovered through research by its director Luke Daniels.

He said: “This is a fantastic chance to bring an aural tradition to our children, recreated through folk-related instruments such as mandolins, acoustic guitars, melodeons, fiddles, wooden flutes and Celtic harps.

“I am very excited that we can bring this traditional form of music playing to local young people, some of whom will have the opportunity to perform a new piece inspired by our culture and by Britain welcoming the world in 2012.”