Formation 1982 Headquarters Reading, Berkshire | Legal status Registered charity Location Berkshire | |
Motto Teaching Music, Changing Lives Purpose Extra-curricular music education | ||
Berkshire Maestros (formerly Berkshire Young Musicians Trust) is a musical education charity in Berkshire, United Kingdom.
Contents
Berkshire Maestros, the lead organisation of the Berkshire Music Hub, offers the highest quality musical education delivering instrumental and singing lessons in schools across the county and at music centres in Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham, Newbury and Windsor. Tuition covers all instrumental families; brass, guitar, keyboard, percussion, strings, woodwind and voice, across a wide range of styles and genres, including composition and music technology. They provide group music-making opportunities and ensembles for all instruments and skill levels beginning with Early Years Mini Maestros groups for pre-school children, into beginner bands and chamber groups, and culminating in county youth orchestras and choirs. They provide inspirational musical activities and opportunities which enable children and young people to achieve their potential and develop confidence, self-esteem and a life-long love of music. They run the Berkshire county youth ensembles of Berkshire Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO), Berkshire Youth Choir (BYC), Berkshire Young Voices (BYV), Berkshire Children's Choir (BCC), Berkshire Youth Guitar Orchestra (BYGO) and Berkshire Youth Percussion Ensemble (BYPE).
History
The organisation was founded in 1982 as Berkshire Young Musicians Trust. In 2006 they re-branded as Berkshire Maestros but they remain a registered charity. As of 2009, the organisation offers tuition in five of Berkshire's unitary authorities, in both schools and the organisation's music centres. Since 2012 Berkshire Maestros has been the lead organisation of the Berkshire Music Hub, a dynamic partnership made up of strategic local, regional and national music organisations and individual professional musicians and artists as well as all schools and Unitary Authorities.
Locations
The Reading Music Centre (formerly the Central Berkshire Music Centre) is located at Stoneham Court, on the site of Prospect School in Tilehurst (near Reading). The centre has purpose-built music facilities (unlike other locations which share school facilities) and is the site of the organisation's head office.
The Bracknell Music Centre (formerly the South Berkshire Music Centre) is located at the Open Learning Centre in Bracknell.
The Newbury Music Centre (formerly the West Berkshire Music Centre) is located at St Bartholomew's School in Newbury. The centre was formerly located at Trinity School, also in Newbury. The centre has strong links with the town, and hosts regular concerts at the Corn Exchange theatre.
The Windsor Music Centre (formerly the East Berkshire Music Centre) is located in a purpose-built music centre constructed in 2010 at Dedworth School in Windsor. In 2007, the centre performed alongside Southbank Sinfonia at the Windsor Festival.