Warwickshire News Mine

The Music Centre for children and young people is moving to new premises at The Avon Valley School in September, bringing to an end a partnership with the college lasting over thirty years.  Last Saturday saw the very last sessions in the college facilities by the Music Theatre group.

Already this year, choirs have moved to take place at Harris School on Mondays, with orchestras at Lawrence Sheriff School on Wednesdays.

Eddie Jones, Deputy Area Manager of Warwickshire County Council’s Music Service, said: “It is very sad to be leaving the college having worked together for so long.  However, things have changed and it is no longer practical for us to be there.
We have been very grateful to staff at Lawrence Sheriff and Harris Schools for making us so welcome this year, and we are really excited about the prospect of being able to share the brand new facilities with Avon Valley in September. Around 300 children attend activities run by the music centre each week and these groups will all continue at the three venues.”

Thousands of children, teenagers and adults have passed through the Music Centre since it opened in 1975 and groups have played in venues such as Coventry Cathedral and the Royal Albert Hall in London.  Val Brodie ran the courses for many years at the college and many Rugby musicians remember those days with much affection.

The redevelopment of the old engineering building into a purpose built music centre in 1995 was a great achievement for the students and staff.  A vast fund-raising effort was made and with the aid of a lottery grant, this helped fit out the hall with seating, staging and chairs. Well known Warwickshire musician Guy Woolfenden formally opened the new centre and the hall was named after him.

Warwickshire College is itself preparing to move to new premises in Rugby, and the new facilities whilst reflecting their present needs, will not have the space for the large CMS groups. So, inevitably a change of venue is necessary with a base at Avon Valley School, and new partnerships with other Rugby Schools.

So, although it is the end of an era, it is the beginning of a new one for East Warwickshire’s Rugby Music Centre.

Link to WCC