latest news
last updated 02.02.2012
* 02/02/12 - Drum & Guitar Level Assessments date announcement
The date for the next wave of Drum & Guitar Level Assessments is Sunday the 26th of February 2012 at the Music Skills HQ in Somerton. If you are ready for your next level then your tutor will know what to do to get you set and registered for your slot. We'll look forward to seeing you on the day. Any enquiries contact us
* 30/09/11 - Spot the mini mexican wave...
A great day at Huish Episcopi Academy with the new year 7s. Taster sessions places already booking up quickly. See if you can spot the mini mexican wave...
* 03/07/11 - Level Assessments Success!
A brilliant day of level assessments. Congratulations to everyone who gained their latest level.
* 23/06/11 - Drum & Guitar Level Assessments.
We are pleased to announce that the next wave of Music Skills Drum and Guitar Level Assessments will take place on Sunday the 3rd of July at the Music Skills headquarters in Somerton. Places are already filling fast. For full details on how to book your place, please ask your tutor. If you have any questions in the meantime please contact us.
Here are some short clips of the Music Skills Student band performing at Wasp Fest, near Somerton - what a great response from the crowd!
Injection, the debut album by Italian band 'Threesome Music Project', which was mixed by Simon Lomax at the Music Skills studio in Somerton, has just been released and is well worth a listen. You can listen here
A huge congratulations to everyone who gained their latest Drum and Guitar levels at the Music Skills assessment day in Somerton.
All places are now full for this Sunday's Drum and Guitar level assessments - next assessments will be held late June 2011.
We hope you had a great Christmas! Music Skills HQ will be closed for sessions until Monday the 3rd of January.
We'll look forward to seeing you in the New Year.
*02/12/10 - Snow update.
The Music Skills centre in Somerton will be open for sessions as normal today.
*01/12/10 - Congratulations again to Tellurium Q
We would like to say a huge congratulations to Tellurium Q for winning yet another award for their audio hi-fi cables. Tellurium Q use the Music Skills recording studio at our headquarters in Somerton to test their products.
*18/11/10 - 24 hour non-stop Jamathon in aid of World Vision - get involved now
We will once again be taking up the challenge of a 24 hour non-stop Jamathon between the 11th and 12th of December 2010, all in aid of the charity World Vision. It's going to be a lot of fun!
To get involved book a jamming slot: Contact us
*17/11/10 - Music Skills student in final 40 of Young Drummer of the Year.
Huge congratulations to Music Skills student Andy Wall for making it through to the final 40 of the national Young Drummer of the Year Competition. Good luck for making the final 10!
*02/11/10 - Academic research continues.
We are conducting further study sessions today for the academic research project; Researching the effect of the Music Skills System(tm) on students overall ability to learn. You can learn more here
Pictured above: Music Skills tutor Martyn Larcombe with students during a study session.
*31/10/10 - Level Assessment success!
Well done to everyone who gained their Music Skills Drum and Guitar Levels today. We know that the way you're taught means you learn quickly, but your progress has been truly astounding!
*29/10/10 - Congratulations to Tellurium Q from all at Music Skills!
We would like to say congratulations to Tellurium Q for winning this prestigious award for their hi-fi cables and interconnects. We are very pleased to help out, using our rather lovely recording studio to test their products.
Pictured above: Geoff and Colin from Tellurium Q with Music Skills System co-developer and Head Coach, Simon Lomax.
*06/09/10 - Date for Drum and Guitar Level Assessments
We are pleased to announce that the next wave of Music Skills Drum and Guitar Level Assessments will take place on Sunday the 31st of October at the Music Skills headquarters in Somerton. For full details on how to book your place, please ask your tutor. If you have any questions in the meantime please contact us.
*23/10/10 update: We now only have a few places left for Guitar and Drum Assessments please contact us as soon as possible to book yours.
*26/08/10 - Music Skills on BBC radio
Simon Lomax from Music Skills will be live on BBC radio today between 9am and 10am. You can listen online here
*22/08/10 - Summer Bank Holiday sessions
The Music Skills Centre in Somerton will be open for sessions as usual on Bank Holiday Monday the 30th of August.
*29/07/10 - Music Skills System co-developer interview on ATTN magazine
Simon Lomax, co-developer for Music Skills, was interviewed recently for an online magazine ahead of the release of his new album 'Zone of Cold' on the Council of Nine record label.
you can find the interview here.
*23/07/10 - 9 year old drummer Charlie's first public performance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhqRPiUs_ho
Thought you may enjoy this video of 9 year old Charlie who learns to play drums using the Music Skills System with us at our HQ. Great work!
*25/06/2010 - Share your success...
We are now collecting your success stories to be included in the brand new format Music Skills newsletter.
Whether it's a breakthrough with your band, an exciting performance or recognition of your music skills email details now to info@musicskills.co.uk
* 28/06/10 update: Your success stories are starting to roll in. We still have room for a few more.... only if you're quick!
*15/06/2010 - Band Skills Series - Summer 2010 - Book your place now!
We are pleased to announce the brand new dates for this Summer's Band Skills Series at the Music Skills headquarters in Somerton:
Tuesday 3rd of August 2010 - 10am -1pm
Thursday 5th of August 2010 - 10am -1pm
Tuesday 10th of August 2010 - 10am -1pm
Thursday 12th of August 2010 - 10am -1pm
As you may already be aware the now legendary summer band skills sessions are specifically designed to help you hone your skills as an effective band member.
As with all special events it is worth bearing in mind that places for the Band Skills are limited and tend to go extremely quickly, so please book your place early. Contact us for more info and to book your place.
*02/05/2010 - Drum Master Level seminar
As expected a great start to the new series of monthly Drum Master level seminars. Covering advanced, fun, and some unusually effective techniques to hone and refine students drum playing technique.
Pictured above: Clare, George, Andy, and Dave all taking on an unusual challenge at the Drum Master Level Seminar. Look at the concentration on their faces!
*19/04/2010 - Shoppers Rock out for Charity
Picture above: Music Skills students and friends taking their turn to rock out for charity.
*16/04/2010 - Unemployed men get an unexpected "Boost"
If you are an unemployed man living in the Chard area of Somerset who would like the opportunity to do something unusual for FREE then this may just be up your street. Because if you have ever wanted to play Drums, Guitar, Bass or Keyboards. The new and unique Music Skills course ‘Boost’ begins in the town next week to help unemployed men do exactly what it says on the tin and that is boost ability, confidence, belief in yourself.
The unusual course which is totally unlike anything you will have come across before promises not only to be fun and easy to learn but is also great way to develop some unique unusual skills and meet new people of varying levels of musical ability from none to skillful.
We were asked to develop this after a masked mysterious figure heard what we did with a radio BBC radio DJ in just 10 minutes (listen here) and that started a chain of events that led to this innovative new free development course.
Simon Lomax, co-developer for Music Skills comments on the new course:
“We are very pleased to be a able to offer this special free music course in Chard. It is well documented that learning to play music develops many skills that can be useful in many areas of life. What a great opportunity”.
The project is fully funded through the Learning and Skills Council because it is so different and is perfect for a group that is normally overlooked ie. unemployed men.
The course starts on Wednesday the 21st of May at Manor Court School in Chard, Somerset. Places are limited and are understandably filling fast. For more information on the course and to see if you may be eligible contact us.
*15/04/2010 - Drum Master Level Seminars
You may already be aware we have been developing a series of special drum master level seminars. These seminars are offered by invitation only and form part of the requirements for those who wish to gain their Music Skills Master Levels.
*13/04/2010 - Upcoming Drum and Guitar Level Assessments.
We are pleased to announce the next date for the regional drum and guitar level assessments: Sunday the 23rd of May 2010 at the Music Skills headquarters in Somerton.
As you may already be aware your level assessments are specifically designed to chart your progress as you develop your music skills. Your tutor will guide towards what you will need to do at each level. It is worth bearing in mind that assessment places are limited and go extremely quickly, so please book early.
If you have any questions please ask your tutor or contact us directly.
*13/04/2010 - Interactive Busking (tm) this weekend
Shoppers in the Centre of Yeovil, Somerset will get a musical treat on Saturday the 17th of April 2010 when drum, guitar, bass tutors will hold their now legendary Interactive Busking event in the Quedam Centre, giving lightning fast courses on instruments of their choice. All in aid of the clean water charity Just a Drop.
*06/04/2010 - Educational study - feedback...
We recently had some more great feedback from year 6 pupils following a Music Skills educational study session in a school. Here are just a couple of examples of the great letters that we received:
You can read more here about the Music Skills educational study.
*04/02/2010 - Educational study - early indicators
The first phase of the Music Skills educational pilot study is now underway; studying the effect of the Music Skills System (tm) on student's overall ability to learn. We are now beginning to compile preliminary results from the data collected so far. You can read more here on our educational study page.
Pictures above: students participating in an educational study session.
*25/01/2010 - Young Drummer of the Year - surprise comments!
The finals of the Young Drummer of the Year competition took place yesterday at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa. Having already been whittled down from over 600 entries from across the country the 10 finalists took their turn to play a 2 min prepared solo, one prepared piece with the house band, and one piece that they'd only heard on the morning of the competition.
The standard was extremely high, with all competitors playing their hearts out. Music Skills student Tristan Evans played a fantastic solo and both pieces with his usual blend of high energy and great technique.
It was intense final but Tristan was eventually pipped at the post by the overall winner Ben Clark. Many congratulations to Ben.
The drummer from the band Placebo (one of the judges) thought Tristan's skill level and techniques were astounding, and certainly at the top end of the professional scale, already.
Pictured above: Young Drummer of the Year performer Tristan Evans.
*23/01/2010 - TV interview with Music Skills 'young drummer of the year' finalist on itv news - watch now
*22/01/2010 - Follow Music Skills at 'Young Drummer of the Year' as it happens.
Music Skills Student Tristan Evans will take part in final of the national young drummer of the year competition this coming Sunday the 24th of Feb in Leamington Spa.
You can follow the events as they happen via the Music Skills facebook page and the new Music Skills twitter feed which you can find here @ukmusicskills
From all at Music Skills, we wish Tristan all the very best for the day!
*17/01/2010 - Upcoming Drum and Guitar Level Assessments.
We are pleased to announce the next date for the regional drum and guitar level assessments: Sunday the 21st of February 2010 at the Music Skills headquarters in Somerton.
As you may already be aware your level assessments are specifically designed to chart your progress as you develop your music skills. Your tutor will guide towards what you will need to do at each level. It is worth bearing in mind that assessment places are limited and go extremely quickly, so please book early.
If you have any questions please ask your tutor or contact us directly.
*07/01/2010 - Snow update.
Sessions will be taking place as normal today.
*05/12/2009 - Jamathon complete!
An estimated 1,352,438 notes were played by 83 students and tutors from Music Skills as they took up the task of playing non-stop for 24 hours. All in aid of the charity World Vision. We estimate that we have raised enough to pay for the education of 60 children, train 4 community nurses and 4 teachers. Well done to everyone, what great fun! You've made a real tangible difference to many people's lives.
Pictured above: Music Skills students and tutors playing at the 24 hour Jamathon. Many more pictures here on the Music Skills facebook page.
*02/12/2009 - The first ever Music Skills 24 'Jamathon' in aid of World Vision will take place on Friday 4th December 2009 at the Music Skills headquarters in Somerton, contact us for more information
*01/12/2009 - Music Skills student, Tristan Evans has made it to the finals of Young Drummer of the year.
Pictured above: Tristan Evans (right) with his coach and co-developer for Music Skills; Simon Lomax.
"Having seen Tristan make such rapid progress from complete beginner to now being ranked in the top 10 young drummers in the country is fantastic. We wish him all the best for the finals in January."
