Music service

The music service provides instrumental and vocal tuition in schools. The service aims to provide every school child with the opportunity to learn music and to inspire in young people a lifelong passion for the subject.

The service is headed by Maggie Richardson and has 11 full time and 4 part time teachers who travel between schools.

These specialist, experienced teachers offer guitar, woodwind and brass tuition to children aged 9 (Year 5) and above and string tuition to younger children where a teacher is available. Voice, percussion and drumkit lessons are available to secondary school students.

From the very beginning, all students are encouraged work towards a series of graded awards, starting with red and blue badges as preliminary stages before going on to more formal graded exams.

When they attain the relevant standard, young people can take, free of charge, the Department of Education and Children’s own exams at grades 1 to 4. As they progress, they can take external exams through the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Trinity/Guildhall College of Music and Rockschool.

As students progress they may join one or more of the centrally run groups, which include:

• the Manx Youth Training Orchestra
• the Manx Youth Orchestra
• the Manx Youth Wind Orchestra
• the Manx Youth String Orchestra
• the Manx Youth Chamber Orchestra
• the Manx Youth Concert Band
• the Manx Youth Swing Band
• the Manx Youth Guitar Ensemble

All groups give public concerts throughout the year and senior groups often tour to the UK or further afield.

Young musicians may also have the opportunity to participate in their own school's orchestras, choirs and bands.

Young singers can also join the Manx Children’s Choir (for 7 to 12 year olds) and the Manx Youth Choir (for 13s and over).

The music service runs the Primary Schools Music Initiative, which offers younger children a variety of opportunities to get involved in music-making in schools and supports teachers through a programme of INSET and advisory work.

Maggie Richardson also conducts the Friday Lunchtime Choir, a community choir open to anyone, which sings a wide variety of music and performs end of term concerts.

Please go to the music service’s wiki for more detailed information.