The Junior Strings Course is for violin or cello players who have reached Grade 2 or above.  Students spend the Saturday and Sunday practising a selection of music and  then get the chance to perform in a full concert on the Sunday afternoon.

The 4th Orchestra is for more experienced violin, viola and cello players who have reached Grade 3 or above.  It takes place over 3 days, starting on the Saturday with a final concert on the Monday evening.

The Chamber Course runs for 3 days, from Saturday to Monday, and is for students who have reached Grade 4 or above.  Players are allocated to chamber groups according to their standard and experience and we run a number of groups from beginners right up to advanced with each group getting individual tuition from experienced teachers.  On the last day the groups get a chance to perform their pieces. 

You don't need to audition for Junior Strings or 4th Orchestra – but please ensure your teacher has agreed which would be the most suitable group for you to join.  And for the Chamber Course most students will already be playing in one of our orchestras but if you have not been on any of the courses before please get in touch and we can make sure you get in the most appropriate group.

The cost of the Junior Strings Course will be £40, the cost of 4th Orchestra is £60 and Chamber Course is £65.  The course timetable is as follows. So please get in touch as soon as you can so we are able to reserve your place. Hope to see you there.

Contact Julia Smith
Tel 07811 425872
Email admin@bedfordshiremusictrust.org.uk

We are running three orchestral and two concert band courses between 17 – 21 December and have had an excellent response so far but still have plenty of places. So if you are interested in taking part please print off and complete the attached application form and return it by post as soon as possible with your course fee.

These courses are an excellent opportunity for young players to experience the joy of playing in a large orchestra or band, under the direction of specialist staff. The course timetable is as follows:

The cost of the Christmas Course is £75. If you would like to attend please fill in the attached application form and return it, together with your fee, to Youth Music Christmas Course, Bedfordshire Music Trust, The White House, Odell Road, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1JL. Cheques should be made payable to Bedfordshire Music Trust.

If you have not attended one of these courses before, or you have played in one but would like to audition for another please let us know on the form which group you would like to join and we will arrange a suitable time for audition. If you have any questions or need any help please contact Julia Smith by email or phone.

Julia Smith
Tel: 01234 783054 or 07811 425872
Email: admin@bedfordshiremusictrust.org.uk

Attachment: Christmas 2011 Course Application Form

The Christmas Courses are being held at Wootton Upper School and Holywell Middle School, Cranfield on the 17^th to 21^st December.  We've just held the first round of auditions but don't worry if you have missed them or if you have still not sent in your application form.  There are plenty of places available if you would still like to apply.  Just send your application form, together with your fee, to Youth Music Christmas Course, Bedfordshire Music Trust, The White House, Odell Road, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1JL.  The cost of the Christmas Course is £75. Cheques should be made payable to Bedfordshire Music Trust.  If you have mislaid or not received an application form you can email Julia Smith at admin@bedfordshiremusictrust.org.uk  or call us on 01234 783054 with your contact details and we will send you one.

The Christmas event is very a much test of whether it is possible to keep these courses running.  At the moment it looks as though a way can be found to secure their future, but for that we do need all the support we can get, particularly from students and new players signing up.  As you will all know these courses are a fantastic opportunity for young players to experience the joy of playing in a large orchestra or band, under the direction of our wonderful conductors and tutors. They are also a great way to make new friends.  And playing in these groups will give you skills and confidence that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Unfortunately this October it was not possible to run the usual half term events - Junior Strings, 4^th Orchestra or the Chamber Course.  But we are starting to plan the events for next year and hope to arrange these courses for Spring half term.  So please look out for announcements.  If you want to be on our mailing list for future events please email admin@bedfordshiremusictrust.org.uk with your contact details.  Hopefully we will have a new web-based registration scheme in place for next year, which should cut down the time and effort taken to handle course registration – all of which helps us keep the costs down.

In the meantime, thank you to everyone for your continuing support.

Nick Wood
Bedfordshire Music Trust

We plan to run three orchestral and two band courses between 17 – 21 December. Unfortunately, we have not been able to schedule the 4^th Orchestra course this term although current 4^th Orchestra members are still requested to complete the form provided with the course letter (that will be arriving with students soon) as we hope to be able to offer a 4^th Orchestra course during the spring term.  4^th Orchestra members may also audition for 3^rd Orchestra for the Christmas Course (see course letter for further details).

As with the Summer Courses there will be no transport provided but we have tried to choose course locations that make travel as easy as possible. To help with car sharing arrangements the Friends of Bedfordshire Youth Music are facilitating a car sharing information scheme through their web site: www.fbym.org.uk. Information can be found by following the links on their home page and using the password supplied in your course invite to enter a secure area.

The courses can only function if sufficient students register to take part so please do book your place as soon as possible so we that we can confirm numbers.  Depending on numbers we may combine some of the groups. However, we will endeavour to keep you/your child in a group of equivalent standard.

In cases of financial difficulty, the "Friends of Bedfordshire Youth Music" organisation may be able to support your application.  The Friends are keen to help all those who might be eligible for financial support to attend the Youth Music courses, including those struggling to make ends meet while involved in Higher Education. Should you require financial assistance, please make an application direct to FBYM at www.fbym.org.uk.

The cost of attending Leighton Buzzard Music Centre, and other similar facilities in Central Bedfordshire, have also been set to ensure that more youngsters will be able to use them.

The council has redesigned the former Bedfordshire Music Service and is operating it on a cost neutral basis as part of the response to its budget challenge. This has allowed for a reduction in lesson fees again.

Councillor Mark Versallion, executive member responsible for children's services, said: "The vision of the service is to give children and young people the opportunity to become the best musicians they possibly can."

For revised lesson fees and charges, which will come into effect in September, visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/music

Summer Youth Music Courses will be playing on over the school holidays with more than 300 young musicians taking part. For the course and concert schedule, see Summer Youth Music Courses.

Government grant reductions have required the Council to reduce its costs by £19.2m during 2011/12. Redesigning the former Bedfordshire Music Service and operating it on a cost neutral basis is part of the Council’s response to its budget challenge.

“We want to make sure that Central Bedfordshire children can continue to develop their musical potential so we’ve been consulting with young people, their parents and schools.

"Following this we have reconfirmed our commitment to the four Music Centres in Ampthill, Biggleswade, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard” said the new Executive Member for Children’s Services, Cllr Mark Versallion.

Cllr Versallion also said “Originally we planned to reduce funding to the music centres and we expected that at least one of them would need to close. However, as a result of a further review of our overheads and back office costs, we’ve been able to extend funding to all four of the music centres in the short to medium term. This gives the Music Service time to work with its customers and potential partners to work up our new service programme before the national introduction of regional hubs in 2012.

The Council has been allocated a reduced grant for music provision from national government of £394,000. With this it will introduce a new and more flexible model of music tuition. At the moment fees have been high from April but by working more efficiently, it is hoped that fees will reduce for parents as the year goes on and more young people access the service.

Central Bedfordshire Music Service will be launched in July, supported by a newly designed marketing plan. There will be clear goals to put a greater focus on advertising existing and new activities and responding more flexibly to the identified needs of the young people and parents.

As part of the service re-design a series of workshops are being held with schools, external partners in the business and the voluntary sector, pupils and parents to join Central Bedfordshire Council in developing plans for the future.

“If we work together we can find ways of not only protecting these important services, but to develop them for the talented young musicians of current and future generations” added Cllr Versallion.

For further information please contact: Tom Skinner on 0300 300 5738.

We are very pleased that a way has been found to run these courses this summer, and hope that your continued support will help us to ensure that these wonderful performing opportunities can be secured for the future.   

We plan to run four orchestral and two band courses between 23 - 27 July.

Members of the County Youth Concert and Second Bands are invited to the Concert Band course that has been planned.

The courses can only function if sufficient students register to take part so please do book your place as soon as possible so we that we can confirm numbers. Invitation letters have been sent out today (25th May 2011) and should be with you shortly.

To reflect the difficult budget conditions we have had to introduce some changes.  Unfortunately, there will be no transport available but the courses have been organised to minimise travelling and we hope that parents/carers will organise transport between themselves. To help car sharing arrangements the Friends of Bedfordshire Youth Music hope to facilitate a car sharing information scheme through their web site: www.fbym.org.uk. Information can be found by following the links on their home page and using the password supplied in your course invite to enter a secure area.

Tutors have received letters informing them that they will no longer be required beyond the Easter courses. Many of the tutors have worked for the orchestras and bands for many years; some having served Bedfordshire Music for nearly 40 years.

A letter by the Head of Bedfordshire Music has been sent to the students and parents/carers informing them that the Youth Music courses and concerts at Easter will be the last to be organised by Bedfordshire Music.

• Letter by Head of Bedfordshire Music