News

Post date: Friday, 26 January 2024 - 11:49am

VAT Advice, a specialist consultant, offers support to leisure-time music groups managing venue tax.

For music groups and organisations, the world of tax and finance should seemingly be simple – charitable status equals zero VAT. Groups are often under the threshold themselves and don’t find that their practices are ‘VATable’. However, much like an intricate composition, there are surprises and exceptions when transacting with other suppliers and businesses, such as for venue and room hire.  

Post date: Sunday, 21 January 2024 - 2:57pm

Alan Duguid, Music Director of Regent Brass, reflects on his group's collaboration with Robin Fielder and Camden Brass as part of Adopt a Music Creator 2023.

Post date: Monday, 15 January 2024 - 4:57pm

We’re thrilled to announce the pairings in our 2024 Adopt a Music Creator project!

The Adopt a Music Creator project is one of our flagship initiatives and pairs an emerging music creator with a leisure-time music group to create a new and inspiring musical work to premiere and perform live for their local communities.

Each creator-group pair will be mentored by a professional music creator during this exciting year-long project.  

Post date: Monday, 1 January 2024 - 4:02pm

Bradley Wilson, conductor and trumpeter, talks to us about his work with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) as part of their Youth Ambassador programme.

The CBSO's Youth Ambassador programme is an opportunity for young people (aged 16-21) to to take the lead on curating, programming and promoting a concert -  with a predetermined budget, but no creative restrictions. 

Post date: Thursday, 21 December 2023 - 2:16pm

The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) has opened public voting for its 2024 Inspiration Award – and all your choices are Making Music members! 

The Inspiration Award, developed in 2021, recognises the often overlooked leisure-time music ensembles or individuals who work with such groups from across the UK. It highlights the outstanding achievements of these groups and individuals whose music has touched and uplifted the hearts of many.  

Post date: Tuesday, 19 December 2023 - 3:02pm

Music creator Robin Fiedler talks about their first full rehearsal with Regent Brass Band and Camden Brass Band as part of their Adopt a Music Creator 2023 collaboration.

Post date: Monday, 18 December 2023 - 4:17pm

We’re delighted to begin the countdown to Christmas with an exciting range of Christmas carols performed by our member groups.  

Making Music teamed up with Classic FM again and invited our membership of over 4,000 leisure-time music groups to submit audio recordings of their group singing or playing a Christmas carol online, offline or recorded in a previous year.  

Post date: Tuesday, 12 December 2023 - 3:24pm

Alison Reeves, Making Music's Deputy CEO, discusses how parish and town councils in England and Wales can support their local music making activities.

As part of Making Music’s advocacy and lobbying work, we’ve been building our understanding of democratic structures. Following events on government and local authorities, we turned our attention to local councils in October, and hosted an event for members to find out more about their structure and role, and how members can better interact with them to the benefit of their group and their community. 

Post date: Monday, 11 December 2023 - 11:44am

Your group's listed Making Music Group Representative and Treasurer have been sent notifications advising that the renewals for 2024 have been delayed.

Although we have a new underwriter (Finch) and insurance provider (Covea) in place, there are still some final adjustments to make to the online renewal process before we can open our membership and insurance renewals.

Post date: Thursday, 30 November 2023 - 3:32pm

Making Music membership fees will change in 2024, to reflect inflation rates and rising costs.

From 2024, the Making Music membership fees for both full and associate members will change. We are introducing a new income band to sit between the lowest (£7,200) and the next band (£14,500), and this band will be for those with an income between £7,200 and £10,000. So if your income is between 7,200 and 10,000, your subscription may actually be lower than last year.