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Birchwood Avenue
Hatfield
AL10 0PS
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01707 270025
midhertsmusicenquiries@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Regional Manager: Tom Bunting

Centre Business & Admin Manager: Oliver Milne

Whole Class Development Lead: Andrea Lee

Reception Administrator: Elizabeth Power

 

Welcome to Mid Herts Centre for Music & Arts

We offer:

  • individual and small group tuition in all instruments
  • a range of student groups 
  • music sessions for under 5s
  • music and arts partnerships with special schools (Funky Pie)

 

Office hours (term-time only)

  • Mon–Fri, 9am–7pm
  • Saturday: 9am–1pm

Get Playing at Mid Herts

We have a very exciting opportunity for anyone looking to start learning a musical instrument please see details below!

Get Playing Offer:

  • two trial lessons .
  • For students that start lessons – you will receive a fully funded instrument loan for one term (normally £28)
  • You also be able to join an ensemble with their first term fully funded (normally £59)

Certificate and Sign-up:

After the trial sessions, you will receive a certificate that details how to sign up for weekly lessons with you.

To take part in this exciting opportunity, please email MidHertsMusicEnquiries@hertfordshire.gov.uk with the instrument and day/time slot you would like. Please note these are offered on a first come, first served basis.

The instruments available to try are:

Mid Herts Centre for Music & Arts, Birchwood Avenue, AL10 0PS:

Instrument

Day and time

Alto saxophone

Monday 4.00-4.30

Guitar

Tuesday 3.30-4.00, 4.10-4.40

Classical guitar

Tuesday 5.05-5.35

Voice

Tuesday 6.20-6.50

Trumpet

Wednesday 3.40-4.10, Friday 4.30-5.00

Trombone

Wednesday 4.10-4.40

French horn

Friday 5.00-5.30

Violin

Friday 4.40-5.10

Potters Bar Music Centre, Dame Alice Owen's School, Dugdale Hill Lane:

Instrument

Day and time

Woodwind

Saturday 12.20-12.50

Brass

Saturday 10.00-10.30

What's on

Wednesday

  • 4.45 - 5.15pm – String Babies 

Thursday

  • 4.45 – 5.45pm – Training Wind Band
  • 6.00 – 7.00pm – Intermediate Wind Band
  • 6.15 – 7.45pm – Youth Concert Band

Saturday music school (5-18 years)

  • 9.00 – 9.40am – Junior Choir
  • 9.00 – 10.30 – Sing Make Play!
  • 9.00 – 10.00am – Show Choir
  • 9.00 – 9.40am – String Quartets
  • 10.00 – 11.00am – String Orchestra
  • 10.00 – 11.00am – Burleigh Strings
  • 10.00 – 11.00am – Birchwood Strings
  • 10.00 – 11.00am – Senior Woodwind Ensemble
  • 10.15 – 10.55 – Theory Group
  • 11.00am – 12.30pm – Mid Herts Youth Orchestra

 

Individual lessons

  • Piano and keyboard
  • Strings: Violin, Viola, (including Suzuki Method), Cello and Double Bass
  • Brass: Cornet, Trumpet, Tenor Horn, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
  • Woodwind: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Saxophone
  • Recorder
  • Guitar: Classical and Electric
  • Drum Kit
  • Singing

 

Prices

Prices for instrumental lessons from September 2023

  • 20 minute individual lessons – £16.00 per lesson
  • 30 minute individual lessons – £24.00 per lesson
  • 30 minute shared lessons – £12.24 per lesson
  • 30 minute group lessons (3-6 pupils) – £8.16 per lesson


Current prices for groups per term

£59 – £79. Go to as many ensembles for £109.00 per term. More info here: HMS ensemble membership (hertsmusicservice.org.uk)

Paying

  • Fees are payable in advance and an invoice will be sent to you at the beginning of term to be paid on the Speed Admin payment portal
  • Families on low incomes may be eligible for help with music fees. Discounts of either 50% or 100% may be available, depending on your    income and benefits.

Instruments for loan

We have a limited number of instruments that we can loan out. Speak to your music teacher in the first instance.

Insurance

  • Loaned instruments must be covered by insurance and families must accept responsibility for accidental damage.
  • Insurance requirements and any fee will vary according to the value of the instrument. We'll give you details.
  • We can't accept responsibility for privately owned instruments. We recommend that you insure instruments at replacement value through a specialist music insurance company that will provide sufficient cover outside your home.

Attending your lessons or group

Things to bring to lessons:

  • Instrument (where required) and music
  • a drink. 

 

Drop-off and pick-up

We have a foyer with tables and chairs where parents and carers are welcome to wait while lessons take place.

If you are not waiting on site, please arrive promptly to pickup your children from the foyer of the Music Centre.

About our groups

Mid Herts Centre for Music and Arts groups are for anyone of school age living or attending school in Hertfordshire.

Groups meet weekly for 10 sessions a term and do regular performances throughout the year with other Mid Herts groups.

Wind and brass groups

Training Wind Band

  • Thursdays, 4.45–5.45pm
  • For established beginner wind, brass, percussion and bass guitar players through to good, less experienced players of about grade 1–3.

Intermediate Wind Band

  • Thursdays, 6.00 – 7.00pm
  • For woodwind, brass and percussion players who are of an intermediate standard – grades 3, 4 and 5+.

Youth Concert Band

  • Thursdays, 6.15 – 7.45pm
  • For advanced players of higher grades who play woodwind, brass, percussion, electric bass and keyboard instruments, performing music from the varied advanced wind band repertoire – grades 6–8.

Senior Woodwind Ensemble

  • Saturdays, 10.00 - 11.00am
  • For intermediate and advanced players to work in small chamber groups as well as a full ensemble, performing music of a high level.

Full orchestras

Mid Herts Youth Orchestra

  • Saturdays, 11.00 – 12.30pm
  • Entry by teacher recommendation or by informal audition
  • Standard full symphony orchestra repertoire is studied in full and in sectional rehearsals.
  • A high standard of playing is required – usually grades 6 - 8+.

We’re very excited about welcoming back our current members, including those who couldn’t engage with the orchestra last year, and equally excited about the new members of the orchestra who will join us.

MHYO is a friendly and positive environment, focused on giving the students as much ensemble experience as possible and widening their musical knowledge in their time with us. We aim for every young musician to achieve as much as they can, be that those just getting used to playing in orchestras or those who are at an advanced level (we’ve had a number of members join the National Youth Orchestra in recent times).

Please contact us with any questions or concerns, but more than anything please tell your young musician to start getting excited about the season ahead!

Choirs

Junior Choir

  • Saturdays, 9.00 - 9.40am
  • Aimed at years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at school, who enjoy singing and want to sing with others. The music is varied and fun – accompanied / unaccompanied, traditional / popular songs, unison singing / singing in parts, rounds / echo songs.

Show Choir

  • Saturdays, 9.00 - 10.00am
  • For pupils in years 6–13. Repertoire includes extended part songs up to 3 parts from a variety of styles, both accompanied and unaccompanied.
  • An ability to read music is useful but not essential as the emphasis is on enjoyment through vocal skill development.
  • The choir performs at local venues and in London. Singing lessons are encouraged.

String orchestras and groups

Birchwood Strings

  • Saturdays, 10.00 – 11.00am
  • This is a group that gives the opportunity of playing with other string players. It is a training ground to the basic skills for group playing aimed at established beginners to grade 2.
  • Birchwood strings will probably be one of your child’s first experiences of playing in an ensemble. For many this can be an exciting new venture, but for some the prospect may be a little daunting. The ensemble is aimed at beginner string players (approximately grade 0-2) who have been learning for a few terms and are able to use first finger pattern.
  • Our aim is to provide your child with the solid musical building blocks needed for successful orchestral playing, but within a friendly relaxed environment. The focus will be on sightreading, counting, playing in tune, listening to each other and learning how to follow a conductor.
  • The primary goal is to have fun and build their confidence whilst preparing them for the next stage  of orchestral playing. 

Burleigh Strings

  • Saturdays, 10.00 - 11.00am
  • This string orchestra requires string playing to the standard of grade 4-5, where third position has been established.
  • Chromatic scale two octaves, playing off the string, beginnings of vibrato should be evident.
  • More extended string repertoire from classical idioms of music are explored.

String Orchestra

  • Saturdays, 10.00 - 11.00am
  • The string section of the Youth Orchestra
  • String orchestra repertoire of an advanced standard is performed.

String Quartets

  • Saturdays, 8.40 - 9.40am
  • Senior string quartets for pupils to develop string chamber music.

 

Music for under 5s

Stringbabies

  • Wednesdays 4.45 - 5.15pm
  • Hertfordshire Music Service and Stringbabies Ltd are working in partnership to offer a  fun and rewarding way for very young children (3-5 years) to learn stringed instruments.
  • Mid Herts Music Centre offers this programme on cello.

 

The Funky Pie Company

The Funky Pie Company is a diverse team of artists who love to share their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm with others. The Funky Pie Company is the Hertfordshire Music Service team that works with special schools and leads on our SEND provision.

Over the last few years, in partnership with some wonderful special schools, we have developed an Arts Award for special schools: Music and the Arts as a Communication Skill (MACS) which can be delivered at Explore, Bronze and Silver level.

www.thefunkypiecompany.co.uk

Friends of Mid Herts Centre for Music and Arts

The Friends of Mid Herts Centre for Music and Arts is a charitable organisation whose objective is to give additional support for the music education of students at the centre.

They assist with the smooth running of our concerts, financially help with the purchase of additional music equipment and instruments, and lead with specific fundraising activities.

We welcome any help in the following areas:

  • Saturday morning tuck shop
  • Thursday evening tuck shop
  • helping out at concerts, including refreshments
  • distributing posters.

Please talk to reception or any member of staff if you can help.

You'll also find us on Twitter @MidHertsFriends.