Applications are now open to become one of our Lead Schools for Music. We are looking for up to ten primary and secondary schools from across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay that demonstrate excellence in music education provision to share best practice and support the delivery of the National Plan for Music Education.
We are also looking for a representative mix of EYFS, Further Education, SEND and Alternative Provision settings from across the entire Hub area.
Applications must be received no later than 9am Monday 24 March 2025. For an informal conversation about becoming a lead school for music please contact Debbie Kent, Deputy Head/Hub Lead and Strategic Lead for Schools email debbie.kent@devon.gov.uk
We are so excited for the final of this year's Battle of the Bands which takes place on Tuesday 25 February at Exeter Phoenix. Following a series of regional heats the best young bands from secondary schools across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay will compete to win the opportunity to professionally record their music at major regional festivals.
Featuring a special performance by last year's runners up Absent Minds (Great Torrington School) we can't wait to hear this year's finalists as they perform for our industry professional judges. Join us on the night to support these extremely talented young bands!
Check out the full line up for our forthcoming Nurturing Creativity in the Early Years Conference delivered in partnership with Take Art on Friday 21 March at Future Skills Centre, Exeter...
Keynote speaker:
- Dr Susan Young - Honorary Research Fellow | Centre for Research in Early Childhood
Workshop leaders:
- Charlotte Gibbs, Devon Music Education Hub's Strategic Lead for Early Years |
- Jane Parker, Co-Director Certificate for Music Educators: Early Childhood and Take Art's Early Years Lead
- Rosie Walton currently leading on Gloucestershire Music's Songscape Project
This conference offers music educators, early years practitioners, childminders, and students the tools and inspiration to integrate music and movement into everyday learning experiences. Whether through song, musical play, or storytelling, attendees will leave with practical techniques to create music-rich environments that spark curiosity and lay the foundation for a brighter future for young learners.
Full programme and booking information available from our website.
Devon Music Education Hub are delighted to present this year’s BIG Jazz Day for young musicians on Saturday 15 March at King Edward VI Community College, Totnes with special guests the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Big Band!
Join us from 3.45-5.45pm for a Jazz and Big Band workshop with Ceri Rees (saxophone & RWCMD Big Band director) Dr Andrew Bain (percussion & Head of Jazz at RWCMD) and the Big Band from the world-renowned Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama supported by South Devon Youth Jazz, Lipson Cooperative Big Band and the Devon Youth Jazz Orchestras – it’s open to any students Grade 2+ (approximate level only, no exam needed) who are interested in playing jazz on any instrument.
This will be followed by a celebration jazz concert from 7-9:30pm, with the massed bands and masterclass participants opening the concert, which parents/carers/supporters are very welcome to attend. Concert Tickets (7pm-9pm) can be purchased here.
Due to demand, places are strictly limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. Members of DYJO or Co-operative Big Band have already had their places secured, so there is no need to sign up again here.
Please note: There is no charge for young musicians participating in the workshop and/or performance. Admittance to the evening concert at 7pm for parents/carers/supporters will cost £6/£4 concessions.
Devon Music Education Hub would like acknowledge the generous support of King Edward VI Community College for hosting this event.
National Children’s Orchestras are coming to Devon on Sunday 23 March for a free fun day of music-making in partnership with Devon Music Education Hub and South West Music School, which will be generously hosted by Uffculme School.
There is space for a maximum of 50 young musicians to come and play The Jungle Book Medley with their super team of tutors and conductor Veronica Urrego. Young musicians will also have chance to create their own piece of music with trombonist and composer Richard Shrewsbury. This workshop is suitable for children aged 8–12 and playing at roughly Grade 2-5 standard.
NCO are looking for children from across Devon to join them on as many different traditional orchestral instruments as possible. Traditional orchestral instruments include all strings, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion and harp and we also include tenoroon, cornet, treble clef reading brass players and drum kit players interested in trying out percussion.
To apply please complete the online form. NCO will then get in touch to confirm your child’s place and provide further details and music. Deadline for applying is Friday 13 February 2025.
We would like to advise schools that we are making some improvements to our instrument class set loans to support WCET (Whole Class Ensemble Tuition). These changes are a combined response to a number of factors including our new partnership with Plymouth Youth Music Service; results of our recent WCET feedback survey; capital investment from the Department for Education to purchase additional instruments; and our own limitations such as storage, transport & maintenance capacity.
From September 2025 the following changes will come into effect:
- We will continue to offer one class set of instruments per school per term on a fully funded basis to Devon, Plymouth and Torbay maintained schools and academies, inclusive of a single delivery and collection. Additional class sets will remain chargeable.
- Independent schools and those that fall outside the Hub area (Devon, Plymouth and Torbay) may hire class sets at a cost of £100 per term subject to availability and conditional to collecting and returning the instruments.
- We are amending the range of class sets offered, including removal of some sets which have become unviable owing to issues with transport, maintenance and/or popularity.
- We will invest in additional class sets of the most popular instruments to increase availability.
- We will deliver instruments at the start of the term booked. It is unlikely that we will collect instruments at end of term, and we may ask you to store sets over school holidays, until they can be collected in the following term. You may return instruments to our Willand office in person at any time, but we cannot offer bespoke delivery or collection.
- We will continue to charge schools for missing or damaged instruments (beyond acceptable wear and tear), including use of stickers which have to be removed by our Instrument Technicians.
- We will continue to impose a booking deadline for instruments to be delivered, but may be able to offer certain sets on a collection-only basis after this deadline.
- Instruments from the new catalogue may be loaned for a minimum of one term and a maximum of three consecutive terms. Other instruments (including orchestral brass/wind/strings) will still be offered for a minimum of one academic year. If you are interested in instruments not listed in our catalogue, please contact us to discuss options.
Our overall aim is to improve the service to schools, but keep it manageable for us to administer and deliver - the following sets will be available to loan:
Termly sets (one term minimum)
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Ocarinas
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Ukuleles
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Nuvo covered recorders
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Guitars
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Standard open-hole descant recorders
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Bells & Boomwhackers
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Nuvo TooTs
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Bamboo Tamboo
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Nuvo DooDs
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Sound Shapes
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Keyboard melodicas
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Samba (full-sized or mini)
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pBuzzes
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Jumbie Jams (floor-standing or desktop)
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pBones
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Tongue drums with bass chimes
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Keyboards (set of 20)
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Bells (glocks & handchimes)
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Taiko (set of 18)
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Lightweight djembes (Toca or Slap)
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Yearly sets (one year minimum) – if requested we will discuss options before reserving instruments and scheduling repair time
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Woodwind (flutes/clarinets/saxes)
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Brass (Bb or Eb including pocket trumpets)
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Strings (violins/violas/cellos/basses)
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Folk set
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For all other requests, please use our Bespoke Loan Form or contact us directly for advice.
Battle of the Bands
Tuesday 25 February 2025 | Exeter Phoenix (final)
Royal Academy of Music Brass Day
Sunday 16 March 2025 | Wells Cathedral School
Come and Play with National Children's Orchestra
Sunday 23 March 2025 | Uffculme School, Cullompton
Hub Sounds
Friday 28 March 2025 | Bideford College
Live Music Now Musical Mondays
Monday 12 May 2025 | Online
Your chance to perform at Devon County Show
15-17 May 2025 | Westpoint, Exeter
An introduction to Charanga Musical School
Monday 3 March 2025 | Old Priory Junior Academy, Plymouth
Nurturing Creativity in the Early Years Conference
Friday 21 March 2025 | Future Skills Centre, Exeter
Devon Music Education Conference
Friday 23 May 2025 | Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre
Growing Trans and Non-binary Awareness
Wednesday 2 July 2025 | Online
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