South West Music School
Type Of Organisation: Working with individual artists
About
SWMS is a Centre for Advanced Training (CAT), part of the Music & Dance Scheme (MDS).
SWMS works with young musicians in Wiltshire and across the South West region of the UK promoting progression routes for gifted and talented musicians specialising in any genre of music. Musicians aged 12-16 can audition and apply for a MDS grant to cover the cost of mentoring, tuition and short course opportunities. We also run an unfunded Foundation Programme for younger students aged 8-11.
What I / we help young people achieve
SWMS brings together young musicians who aspire to be the best they can. We give students access to high quality musical tuition, masterclasses and ensemble music experiences. We work with students to create individual learning plans to realise their goals. Some 98% of students go on to other music schools (e.g. Wells Cathedral School), conservatoires or higher education. Others enter the music business directly as singer songwriters or in some other capacity.
Opportunities for children & young people
- To learn to play an instrument and / or develop skills on an instrument
- To learn to sing
- To create / write music and / or lyrics
- To play, perform music with others
- To learn things about oneself , other subjects or life-skills through musical activity
- To work with and support other young musicians
- To develop their wellbeing
Times
- After School
- Weekends
- School Holidays
Working with special needs
We work across a broad spectrum of statemented conditions with our young people, ranging from dyslexia and dyspraxia to austism to profound disabilities (such as blindness). They are in all other respects highly functional as musicians. We work locally in collaboration with youth and other services, specialist schools and other organisations that have a stake in working with young people with special needs.
Taught Instruments
- Brass
- Woodwind
- Strings
- Guitar & Bass
- Drums / percussion
- Singing / Voice
- Piano / Keyboard
- Music Theory
- Songwriting / Composition
Ages Taught
- 7-10
- 11-13
- 14-15
- 16+
Level Taught
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Musical Clusters Covered
- Chippenham
- B-on-A / Corsham
- Calne & Melksham
- Trowbridge (CSL)
- Salisbury / Wilton
- Marlborough & Pewsey
- Downton
- Malmesbury / WB / Purton
- Amesbury
- Devizes
- Warminster
- Westbury
- Mere & Tisbury
- Tidworth