Wider Opportunities is an initiative created to give all primary school children the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument.  All Torbay schools have purchased instruments and, as a result, many music lessons now include whole class instrument teaching.

We are pleased to announce that there is further funding available for the purchase of instruments.  It may be that the instruments originally purchased by your school are no longer useful, perhaps the person who can play the instrument has moved on, or you may have found that the instrument is not practical for large group teaching.  Maybe you would find more of the same item useful.  To access this funding, we are asking schools to bid for the money.  Please write to us including the instruments you would like to purchase, quantity, where from and how much funding you would need, including how the purchase of the instruments would enable your music-making.  Please get bids to us by half-term, Friday 21^st October.

Funding is also available for the repair of musical instruments.  Please bid for this separately.  If agreed, invoices will be paid direct by Torbay Council.

We have recently purchased fourteen 'Bb' clarinets and a set of thirty-six authentic African drums which are available to loan to schools on a termly basis for Wider Opportunities work.  Please contact our Music Development Co-ordinators if you would like to book these instruments.  There is also a wide variety of 'Crash Bang Wallap' music by Keith Bartlett available.  These are arrangements of easy percussion music for primary classes with piano part and CD backing track.  They are great fun and ideal for the whole class, perhaps for Wider Opportunities percussion work.  Again, contact our Music Development Co-ordinators if you would like to borrow these for a term.

We have termly meetings for Teachers and Assistants to share ideas and concerns at the Primary Music Support Group.  The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 28^th March at 4.15 - 5.45pm at Oldway Primary School.

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