Plans are afoot to develop a music education network that will enable those in Renfrewshire without access to an instrument to enjoy the pleasure it can bring.
The idea is the brainchild of Diane Mitchell who said she wants everyone to have the opportunities to enjoy music that she had growing up and throughout her life.
Diane, who has taught music to people in Paisley for more than 27 years, runs the Diane Mitchell School of Music based at Brick Lane Studios in Paisley where she offers music lessons to paying students.
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But her latest initiative will see her collaborating with a number of other individuals and organisations to bring free musical entertainment and educational events to Paisley.
She has set up the Brick Lane Academy CIC, a not for profit, community interest company.
Diane said: “My desire has always been to teach music and that music should be accessible to all areas of the community.
“Through the Diane Mitchell Music School, it’s parents that can obviously afford to pay for their children. So I formed the CIC so that I could start running projects in the community for those that can't normally access music and lessons or can't afford it.
“And so that was my desire when I started the music school, that every child, every adult should have access to music because it's had such a positive effect on my life in every single way.”
Diane will be looking to fund the project by applying for grant money, which will enable her to deliver a programme of free musical entertainment and education for people in the area.
The first project delivered under the CIC has been the Music Cafe, which is funded by grant money from Engage Renfrewshire’s health and wellbeing fund.
The cafe sessions run from 11am-1pm on Tuesdays at Brick Lane Studios and are aimed at older adults and they have been running since April 2022.
“It's been really successful. We have a group of older adults that come in from different backgrounds. Most of them have hardly been out during the past two years because of Covid and lockdowns and they're loving it, absolutely loving it.
“They come in and do some music, ukulele, percussion, singing, and then in between, they have tea and cakes, and we have lunch for them.”
Diane says that although the cafe sessions are aimed at complete beginners, all-abilities are welcome, saying that the sessions are relaxed and friendly.
“We just have fun making music together.” She added.
Diane has more events and classes planned on the horizon and people will soon start to see a few more popping up in town. One of the plans is to restart a music group for additional support needs children that Diane used to run through the music school. She says that she’d like to offer this through the CIC so as to make it free for participants.
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