Nottingham Music Service

The Nottingham Music Service is a charitable incorporated organisation and the lead partner for the Nottingham Music Hub. It is closely allied with Nottingham City Council and primarily funded by the Arts Council England and the Department for Education. The service focuses on providing musical opportunities to young people across Nottingham.

Mission and Vision

Nottingham Music Service aims to facilitate life-enhancing experiences for children and young people, equipping them with perseverance and self-belief through music education[2]. Their vision is to offer world-class music education to all young people, supporting them to reach their full potential[3].

Programs and Initiatives

The service operates a range of music education programs:

• Whole Class Ensemble & In Harmony programs: These are designed to provide music education to entire classes of students.
• Area Bands and Intermediate Orchestra: Offered to develop ensemble skills among young musicians.
• Band Factory and World Musics: Programs focused on contemporary and diverse musical genres.
• Robin Hood Youth Orchestra: A prestigious youth orchestra for talented musicians.
• Musical Inclusion Programme: Aims to engage children with special educational needs and disabilities, building on the success of the MEHEM UpRising team, which won the 'Excellence in SEND' award at Music Expo[1].
• Large Scale City Events: Such as the Great Orchestra Experiment & Big Sing.
• Connections with Community & Professional Musicians: Provides opportunities for collaboration with experienced musicians.
• Professional Development/Certificate for Music Educators: Enhances the skills of music educators.

Impact and Partnerships

Nottingham Music Service has significantly increased the number of young people engaged in music from 500 to 7,500 since 2002[5]. In 84% of city primary schools, every child is given the opportunity to learn an instrument, reflecting the service's commitment to inclusivity[5]. The service works in partnership with several organisations to ensure equitable access to music education. For the 2024-25 academic year, the service has appointed Forest Fields Primary and Nursery, Greenfields Community School, Nottingham Emmanuel School, and Trinity Catholic School as Lead Schools for Music[1].

Lead Schools for Music

As part of the National Plan for Music Education, these lead schools collaborate with Nottingham Music Service to deliver high-quality music education and support other schools in implementing similar programs[1].

[1] https://www.nottinghammusichub.org.uk [2] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5039447 [3] https://www.nottinghammusichub.org.uk/about/the-music-service [4] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5039447/contact-information [5] https://committee.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/documents/s8364/8%20NewModelMusic.pdf