Music for All’s flagship event ‘Learn to Play’ is back this year offering allcomers – either new or returning musicians – a chance to experience a free 10–15-minute taster lesson at Music Room in Salisbury on October 8 and 9.
Held in venues across the UK, ‘Learn to Play’ opens up opportunities for anyone wanting to pick up an instrument for the first time or would like a chance to return to making music by inspiring and encouraging the next generation of musicians of all ages and abilities.
Recent reports have shown that music has been crucial for many people during the recent pandemic with more than 155 million albums bought or streamed in 2020 and one million adults taking up an instrument with many people saying music helped them cope with enforced isolation during the lockdown.
Tony Followell, Music for All’s chair of trustees, said: “The past two years have been difficult for many people, but it has revealed how important music is to all our lives and how it can comfort and bring people together even in the most difficult of circumstances. Many of the people who took up an instrument for the first-time during lockdown would not have had the opportunity to have had a physical lesson.
"Through the ‘Learn to Play’ event we aim to inspire and help as many people as possible understand the unique joys and benefits of learning to play an instrument which could turn into a lifetime of enjoyment or even a new career. I encourage those who picked up an instrument during lockdown to come along to the event and experience a lesson for free.”
Furthermore, a report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) found that wellbeing and happiness levels of the UK deteriorated between April 2020 and March 2021, however further data from the University College of London suggests that people who spent 30 minutes or more each day during the pandemic on arts activities such as listening to music have lower reported rates of depression and anxiety and greater life satisfaction.
Jools Holland OBE, patron of Music for All said: “Making music is very important to me. It’s my work, my pleasure, my friend, companion and therapist. The charity Music for All believes passionately in the unique power of music to changes lives and that is why it runs Learn to Play. If you’re a budding or lapsed musician, come along to the event for a two-day celebration of music making.”
Sonali Banerjee, Music for All’s general manager, said: “Access to music education has steadily been on the decrease with reductions seen in government and community funding over the years, therefore the governments ‘The power of music to change lives’ plan announcement is a positive step for music education.
"Excellent music education opens opportunities and gives children and young people an opportunity to express themselves, to explore their creativity, to work hard at something, persevere and shine. These experiences and achievements stay with them and shape their lives. That is why music should be an essential part of the curriculum for all pupils and must not be reserved for the privileged.
"At Music for All we make it our mission to support young people and disadvantaged music makers with limited financial resources to access music making, and the ‘Learn to Play’ event is an important and fundamental part of this work.”
For more information on the Learn to Play event visit musicforall.org.uk/learn-to-play/
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