Towcester Studio Band’s beginners’ group has been playing together since September 2024.  Located in our Bandhall in Towcester, we provide group lessons of 1hr duration weekly during term time for children aged 7-9.

Our tutor, Dai Rose, is very experienced and worked his whole career in education - in primary schools for 25 years as a teacher and headteacher before becoming Head of Milton Keynes Music Service (for 10 years) and then Head of Music for Bedford Borough for 5 years before retiring in 2021.

Our first cohort of players comprises 14 children with 2 parents learning too.  The group is learning from scratch and the tuition covers music theory as well as learning how to play the instrument.

Dai is supported by Towcester Studio Band volunteers, who attend the rehearsals and many of the parents also stay and observe the lessons – which are great fun.

Despite being able to play just 3 notes, the group made its playing debut as part of the Band’s Christmas Concert at St Lawrence Church in Towcester in December 2024.

All costs of these lessons are covered by Towcester Studio Band, which is grateful to Arts Council England for providing the initial starting instruments as part of the Have A Blast in Towcester (HaBIT) project in 2023/24.  We also thank West Northamptonshire Council, Tesco’s Stronger Starts and Friends of Towcester Studio Band (FrOTS) for their financial support.