Pupils in tune with music lessons

MAKING music . . . a Werneth Primary School pupil gets to grips with the violin

YOUNG Oldhamers are making sweet music as record numbers of children join orchestras and bands.

A newly-formed violin orchestra now has 244 members from three local primary schools and more youngsters are being offered the chance to learn how to play an instrument.

For the past five years, Oldham Music Service has been delivering its Wider Opportunities programmes into many of the borough’s primary schools.

This approach to instrumental music making — which includes full training and support — has successfully increased the awareness of music at primary level.

Musical instruments are provided free of charge and the sessions are run by members of the Music Centre staff.

Much of the work at Music Centre is focused on children who have already decided to learn to play a musical instrument.

The idea of Wider Opportunities is to offer a glimpse of what music is all about to groups of young children who may not have had opportunities in the past.

As part of the scheme a violin orchestra was set up at Werneth Primary School this term and it now boasts members from Broadfield and St Patrick’s primary schools.

It is hoped that many of the youngsters involved will be inspired to use the orchestra as a stepping stone to take their musical studies further and become students at the Music Centre.

Councillor Jack Hulme, cabinet member for cildren and families, said: “Oldham Music Service’s Wider Opportunities programme is a great way of reaching out to young people who may not have had the opportunity to play an instrument before and this can only have a positive impact on their lives.”