Useful Links and Information

Please email us about any information to add to this page.

Find a teacher

Find out about instrumental teaching in schools from the county music agency Cambridgeshire Music or ask at your child’s school. Local music shops Millers, Cambridge Strings, Music Gallery and Wood Wind and Reed sometimes have details of local teachers.

Cambridge Suzuki Young Musicians offers a combination of Suzuki piano and Kodaly musicianship to children aged 3-18. Zero to four year olds and their parents can join the 'Music Now!' programme.

Successful Practising: A handbook for pupils, parents and music teachers

This book, published by Cambridge music teacher Jenny Macmillan, is particularly relevant to the early and intermediate stages of learning, though it will be of interest also to advanced players who feel their practising is not as effective as it might be.

Successful Practising is intended to help:
- teachers guide their pupils with their practice
- teenage and adult students with their own practice
- parents who would like to assist their primary age children with practice.

Available from www.jennymacmillan.co.uk, price £15.

Hire/buy an instrument

Local music shops Millers, Cambridge Strings and the Music Gallery have hire schemes as well as instruments for sale. Wood Wind and Reed have extensive stocks of wind and brass instruments and accessories and also undertake repairs. Many music shops are part of the 'Take it away' scheme providing interest free loans for instrument purchase - see below. Cambridgeshire Music can also provide information.

Take it away
An Arts Council initiative designed to help more people get involved in learning and playing music. The scheme allows individuals to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, and pay it back in nine monthly instalments, completely interest free.

Useful websites

Cambridgeshire Arts Service
Provides access to a wide range of arts activities for the people of Cambridgeshire.

Cambridgeshire Music
County music service providing music service to schools and the community including tuition, instrument hire, bands, choirs and orchestras

Youth Music
National body supporting music-making and training - working alongside the formal and community-based sectors.

Young Reviewer Programme
Get free tickets to concerts as a music reviewer - and see your reviews published online!

Bursaries and awards

John Lewis Cambridgeshire Music Awards
Launched in 2008 these awards will be made twice in each academic year: in September and March. Schools, musical groups and individuals (aged 21 and under) can apply for funding of up to £2,000 to help them fulfil a music-related project (the average award will likely be between £250 and £500).

Awards for Young Musicians
Provides financial awards to gifted young musicians hampered by financial hardship

Music events

Cambridge Summer Music Festival
Cambridge's largest annual classical music festival - outstanding music in lovely settings. Takes place every summer and includes a special programme of events for young people - 'Music 4 Kids'. There is also a spring concert series.

Arts centres

The Junction
An innovative arts centre with a predominantly young audience. Located on Cambridge Leisure Park, it combines popular rock band and 'club' events with a variety of performing arts, an education and children’s programme and the production of new work.