MEI Music Centres

This course offers children the experience and joy of making music. As well as musical skills, the child will also develop listening skills, social interaction, coordination, and memory and language skills. This engaging, playful and supportive learning environment allows each child to grow as a person and as a musician.

The course combines the following:

• creative and rhythmic classes using body percussion
• singing and fun games with recorder playing

Mondays at AMSI and Wednesdays at COLA-HG only:

Musicianship Red (Beginner’s Class of Introduction to Music): 4pm – 5pm

Years 2–3 (for any student in year 2-3 who hasn’t yet completed a year of musicianship)

One hour of Introduction to Music

Mondays at AMSI only:

Musicianship Orange (Returners’ Class of Introduction to Music) 4pm – 4.30pm

AND

Partial Instrumental Course (Group Instrumental Lesson) 4.30pm – 5pm

Year 3 (for year 3s who have completed a year of musicianship)

Half an hour of Introduction to Music, followed by half an hour’s group instrumental lesson of the student’s choice, between clarinet, violin, flute, cornet, trombone (pbone) and recorder

Mondays at AMSI and Wednesdays at COLA-HG only:

Young instrumentalists can join our instrumental/orchestral course where will develop a good foundation of musical understanding that will open doors to a variety of musical activities. 

The course includes:

• Instrumental Group Lesson or option of individual lessons 
• Choir
• Ensemble

For years 4-6, this course runs from 4-6pm every Monday at AMSI or every Wednesday at COLA-HG

For years 7+, this course runs from 4.30-6.30pm every Monday at AMSI or every Wednesday at COLA-HG.

Mondays at EGA only:

Instrumentalists and vocalists aged 12-19 with some prior knowledge and experience of playing are welcome to join our Jazz, Funk, Fusion, Afrobeat, Experimental and Beyond course as part of our Monday Music Centre at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (EGA). Here, young musicians will develop a greater understanding of rhythm and harmony through a Jazz lens, alongside learning to play, collaborate and improvise with musicians from a wide variety of disciplines.

The course includes:

·       A focused group workshop, tailored to instrumental families

·       An ensemble session, streamed by ability

·       There is also the option for students to take individual piano or trumpet lessons

Students are encouraged to participate, make mistakes, and get to grips with improvising in a band setting.

Admission to the course is based on ability, with some foundational knowledge being required in order for students to get the most out of the sessions.

There are two different ability groups offered as part of the course, which are as follows:

Beginner and Intermediate Group

Students should be able to identify and play:

·       all 12 notes on their instrument

·       major and minor chords in every diatonic key

Sight-reading is not required but will be useful. There will be opportunities as part of the course for students who do not yet sight-read to improve their skills.

Advanced Group

Students should have an interest and passion for the jazz idiom. They should also be able to:

·       recognise jazz chord symbols (major 7, dominant 7, minor 7, minor 7 b5)

·       identify chord tones and play these on their instrument (in every key)

·       learn a melody by ear and memorise it

·       retain form of the tune during improvising

·       construct solos, phrasing, motivic development and story-telling

·       listen and respond to band members whilst playing

·       keep in time and groove, with strong rhythmic pulse

·       sight read at a minimum of ABRSM Grade 5

·       name 10 jazz musicians or composers and a song by each of them

For those who are unsure whether they are at the right skill level for this course, we offer one free taster session where prospective students are welcome to see how the course runs and what is expected of them. After the trial, it will be at the tutor’s discretion whether the young musician is ready to attend. If not, however, we will suggest alternative routes at our other Music Centres which would be a better fit.

This course runs from 4.30-6.30pm every Monday at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School. 

Individual instrument lessons are offered at all three Music Centres. We offer individual in person lessons with our high-quality teachers, covering the full range of instruments. We offer 27 lessons per year, split into 9 lessons per term.

At EGA, the only instruments offered for 1-1 tuition are piano and trumpet.

Lessons can be taken as a standalone, however, we strongly encourage students to develop their musical skills and meet like-minded friends by attending our MEI Music Centres.

Please email us using musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk to enquire about one-to-one tuition.

We run three sessions each week at the following schools. Once you have committed to a venue, we kindly ask that you commit to sessions here for the term. 

AMSI

Autumn 2023

September 18, 25  | October 2, 9, 16, 30 | November 6, 13, 20, 27

Spring 2024

January 8, 15, 22, 29 | February 5, 19, 26 | March 4, 11, 18

Summer 2024

April 22, 29 | May 13, 20 | June 3, 10, 17, 24 | July 1, 8

EGA

Autumn 2023

September 18, 25 | October 2, 9, 16 | November 6, 13, 20, 27 | December 4

Spring 2024

January 8, 15, 22, 29 | February 5, 26 | March 4, 11, 18, 25

Summer 2024

April 22, 29 | May 13, 20 | June 3, 10, 17, 24 | July 1, 8

COLA-HG

Autumn 2023

September 20, 27 | October 4, 11, 18 | November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Spring 2024

January 10, 17, 24, 31 | February 7, 21, 28 | March 6, 13, 20

Summer 2024

May 1, 8, 15, 22 | June 5, 12, 19, 26 | July 3, 10

 Fees per term (10 sessions)

Additional Sibling Discount (Students living or attending school in Islington)

Our cancellation policy states that you can cancel any provision by giving half a term’s notice to musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk. If you have paid in advance, you will be reimbursed for sessions after the half term notice period. This policy applies to all Music Centre courses and individual lessons.

Children and young people who either live or attend school in Islington can access free or subsidised provision as part of MEI’s Music Centres if their families (or the young person) are in receipt of any benefits (except childcare allowance). These include:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
• Looked After Children
• Post-Looked After Children (children who have been adopted from care or left care)

Where students fall outside the above criteria but financial strain is the factor stopping children from attending, Music Education Islington will provide support to find additional solutions by talking to the families and other parties in the student’s network (e.g. school). Please get in touch to discuss individual circumstances at musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk.

Children and young people with an interest in and a drive for music, alongside aptitude for the subject, are encouraged to apply for a scholarship:

• London Music Fund Scholarship: a four-year scholarship for children with an interest in and drive for music and where financial and other barriers are in the way of access to music provision. Limited to children of primary school age/year 4 and 5 at time of nomination.
• Music Education Islington Scholarship: a one-year scholarship for children and young people with an interest in and drive for music and where financial and other barriers are in the way of access to music provision. Open to all age groups.

Scholarship contracts are between the student and their parents, MEI, and the child’s school. Each partner will support the student as much as possible to ensure that they get the most out of their scholarship.

MEI recruits for new scholars in the spring term each year, so keep an eye on our newsletter for when nominations open in 2024.

Other scholarships open for applications include:

Future Talent - https://www.futuretalent.org/about/us

• Offers masterclasses, workshops, mentoring and performance opportunities as well as financial awards to help with instrument costs, purchasing music, lessons and exam fees

Awards for Young Musicians - https://www.a-y-m.org.uk/

• Flexible funding towards costs for tuition and instruments

National Youth Arts Trust - https://nationalyouthartstrust.org.uk/?afr

• Bursaries to cover instrumental lessons and the costs of instrument hire and travel expenses

Instrument assisted purchasing scheme - https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-government-and-public-bodies/vatgpb7825

• Allows pupils of local authority schools to purchase musical instruments through their school net of VAT

Abbado European Young Musicians Trust - https://musicpages.co.uk/listing.php?PID=12630

• Provides interest free loans to assist young instrumentalists (18-30) aiming for a professional career in music with buying suitable instruments to help them progress

Benslow Musical Instrument Loan Scheme - www.benslow-musical-instrument-hire.org.uk/

• Offers instrument loans to students in full time education aged between 7 and 25

Cherubim Music Trust - https://www.cherubimtrust.org/

• Offers instrument loans to advanced music students, 15-25, who cannot afford one that matches their ability

Take it Away - https://takeitaway.org.uk/

• Offers interest-free loans through music shops to buy instruments, equipment and software to support musicians at every level

Lessons on the following instruments are currently on offer at the Music Centres, however the list is always expanding! 

If the instrument you would like to learn is not available at your preferred Music Centre (or doesn’t appear here at all!), please get in touch at musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk to discuss options.

Instrumental Course at AMSI and COLA-HG

Woodwind

• Bassoon*
• Clarinet
• Flute*
• Oboe*
• Recorder
• Saxophone

Brass

• French horn
• Trumpet
• Trombone**

Strings

• Cello
• Double bass*
• Violin
• Viola

Other

• Bass guitar
• Drums & percussion
• Guitar
• Ukulele*

*currently only taught at COLA-HG

**currently only taught at AMSI

Mondays at EGA

• Piano
• Trumpet
• Vocals
• Other instruments are not taught directly, but are included in the group and ensemble sessions. All instruments welcome!

All of our centres have step-free access. More information about autism accessibility will be available soon.

AMSI

• Az – Guitar, drums
• Charlotte – Recorder, wind
• Emily – Viola, strings
• Emma – Flute, wind, introduction to music
• Frank – French Horn, wind, introduction to music
• Johan – Viola, strings
• John  – Guitar, bass
• Luke  – Guitar
• Mathias – Drums
• Ricardo  – Viola, strings
• Robert – Clarinet, wind
• Thi – Violin, strings

EGA

• Ashley - Percussion, drums
• Belle - Vocals
• Binker - Saxophone, wind, brass
• Jesse - Piano
• Sultan - Piano

COLA-HG

• Emily – Trumpet, wind
• Emily – Viola, strings
• Emma – Flute, wind, introduction to music
• Frank – French Horn, wind, introduction to music
• Joel  – Introduction to music, oboe, wind ensemble
• Johan – Viola, strings
• Laurel  – Choir, guitar
• Luke – Guitar
• Mathias – Drums
• Naomi – Saxophone, wind, theory
• Orlando – Guitar, double bass
• Ricardo – Viola, strings
• Thi – Violin, strings

Music Education Islington expects as close to 100% attendance as possible, to ensure you develop and get the most out of your attendance. We regret it is not possible to give refunds in the event of absence as the Centres have to continue paying professional tutors and overheads.

Coming soon

You may be able to find more answers at our Music Centre FAQs here.

If you need to get in touch, please email us at musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk.