Rebecca was delighted to be part of the launch of the  Guildhall School of Music South West Centre for Young Musicians at Hestercombe House on Saturday. This is only the second such regional centre in the country.

Students aged between 7 and 18 turned up with a range of instruments to take advantage of the exceptional quality of music tuition now being  provided at Hestercombe every Saturday during term time.

Stephen Dagg, Director of the Centre for Young Musicians at the Guildhall School was thrilled that so many students arrived for the first session.

"I am delighted that we have started this enterprise.  We are taking students of all school ages but there is a gap in music offered to secondary school children in particular in the  area and we hope that we will be able to address this with our unique style of teaching."

Prospective MP for Taunton Deane, Rebecca Pow was delighted to support the initiative.

"Having endeavoured to encourage my three children to learn instruments (with varying degrees of success!) and enjoying playing various instruments myself I can appreciate first hand what benefits can stem from music and urge any students, or indeed parents of children showing any musical inclination to take advantage of this fantastic facility. We are really fortunate to have it on our doorstep.  The approach is a holistic one involving not just playing but composing too. 

"The Hestercombe hub is part of the new system to deliver more music to our young people in the region.  There are bursaries available for people who need financial support too, so it is an all inclusive scheme.  Sound Foundation Somerset is supplying the bursaries and to find out about them as well as the facilities as a whole do contact Tomas Yardley who is heading up the hub." 

The Music Centre fits sympathetically into the historic setting of Hestercombe.

"Developing a special Centre for Young Musicians is a perfect enterprise for this remarkable house and we are delighted that the Guildhall School of Music and Drama have chosen it as their South West hub" says Chief Executive of the Hestercombe Gardens Trust Philip White, MBE, "this exciting initiative will without doubt raise Hestercombe’s national profile and bring the Guildhall’s musical expertise to a wider audience."