Wiltshire Music Centre
51°21′05″N 2°15′40″W / 51.3515°N 2.261°W Wiltshire Music Centre is a 300-seat concert hall in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England which has been described as having "the finest acoustic outside London".[1] The Centre puts on over 150 concerts a year[2] including critically acclaimed artists such as Claire Martin, Richard Rodney Bennett, Courtney Pine,[3] John Williams,[4] Imogen Cooper and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
The centre is in the north-west of Bradford-on-Avon and is adjacent to the town's secondary school, St Laurence School. Wiltshire Music Centre Trust Ltd is an independent charity run by a small team of 10 employees, who are supported by a team of approximately 85 volunteer stewards.[5]
History
[edit]Wiltshire Music Centre opened in 1998, built with funding from one of the first National Lottery grants for art projects: £1.74 million towards overall design and build costs.[6]
The first event to take place at the Centre was the BBC Radio 4 Any Questions? programme in January 1998.[7] Any Questions? returned to the Centre on 1 July 2011 with Billy Bragg, Deborah Meaden, Shaun Woodward and Steve Webb as panellists.[8][9]
The Princess Royal opened the Centre on 29 April 1998[7] and the first concert was performed by international pianist John Lill on 7 March 1998. In May 2004, the Trust was invited to a reception at Number 10 Downing Street to celebrate outstanding achievements in the arts.[10]
Concert programme
[edit]The Centre's programme and visitor levels grew year-on-year during its first decade, and in recent years the Centre has offered a programme of classical, jazz, folk and world music to more than 20,000 audience members.[11]
The Centre promotes on average 50 professional concerts every year, as well as providing a performance venue for 30 local amateur and professional groups and on average 30 local young people's participation events.[11] In 2011 the Centre's concerts and participation events were attended by more than 60,000 people.[11]
Education work
[edit]The Centre is home to a variety of orchestras, choirs and other music groups.[12] The Centre was founded on a commitment to nurture musical ability or interest, regardless of age or background, and runs projects aimed at delivering strong musical experiences.[5]
The Centre has worked with most special schools and many of the primary schools in Wiltshire, as well as a number of the county's secondary schools.[11] In 2007 the Centre played a key role in launching South West Music School, a virtual school which provides advanced training for gifted young musicians and singers aged 8 to 18.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3, November 2006
- ^ "Our story". Wiltshire Music Centre. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Courtney Pine press coverage
- ^ John Williams review
- ^ a b Charity Commission listing
- ^ Wiltshire Music Centre 'about us'
- ^ a b St Laurence School history
- ^ "Chance to quiz panellists at Bradford on Avon". Wiltshire Times. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ BBC Iplayer version of July 2011 ‘Any Questions?’ show broadcast from Wiltshire Music Centre
- ^ Details of 2004 activities (PDF)
- ^ a b c d Wiltshire Music Centre Trust Ltd. Annual review (PDF), 2011
- ^ Jazz Factory
- ^ South West Music School Associate members
