Our Creative Learning Programme

A Year of Creative Learning at WMC

Creative Learning during the 2020 Lockdown

• The West of England Youth Orchestra took part in two virtual projects, producing bespoke recordings from home.
• Zone Club continued to meet for online monthly creative sessions, writing new songs including "Take That Ride"
• Celebrating Age released an interactive series of concerts featuring a broad range of musicians
• Wiltshire Jazz Academy launched virtually in partnership with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra
• WMC celebrated International Make Music Day with a morning of "Bring Me Sunshine" workshops

Youth Opportunities at WMC

• The West of England Youth Orchestra and Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra delivered five outstanding concerts across the year alongside leading musicians including Tom Poster, Empirical Jazz and Peter Moore
• WMC hosted free masterclasses with outstanding professional artists including Raphael Wallfisch, Adriano Adewale and William Russell;
• WMC's Industry Day provided an insight into the world of a professional concert hall for young participants;
• Summer Fun 2019 engaged over 550 participants across a month of concerts, workshops and creative sessions.

Workshops in schools

• WMC and Prime Theatre premiered a new original production for primary school children, " Don't Pick Me, Miss!", which toured across schools in Wiltshire;
• The Marmen Quartet joined as our Young Quartet in Residence, delivering schools workshops as part of our Wider Opportunities programme;
• The Kakatsitsi Master Drummers delivered a thunderous series of percussion workshops for primary schools across Wiltshire

Adult Learning & Family Engagement Days

• Celebrating Age secured a £385,500 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to continue delivery until 2025;
• WMC Chorus, our community all-abilities choir, performed Kurt Weill's The Silver Lake with the English Touring Opera at the Theatre Royal, Bath;
• My Science Fair 2020 engaged over 50 young scientists and their families, with over 900 people visiting WMC on the day;
• Big Family Music Day 2019 brought together participants of all ages, playing instruments in the BFMD orchestra for the first time.

Disability Arts

• Zone Club, our group for young adults aged 16-25 with a range of physical and learning disabilities, performed an original song as a part of BBC Wiltshire's 'Carols at the Cathedral', broadcast on Christmas Day;
• Local special schools and mainstream primary schools joined forces with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment for a unique performance of Henry Purcell's 'The Fairy Queen' in our Opera in a Week

Want to get involved?

Email creativelearning@wiltshiremusic.org.uk to learn more and take part