Publications

In the autumn edition of Highnotes: we cover the essential steps for recruiting a new musical director, interview Dr Anita Collins, Founder of Bigger Better Brains, on amplifying the benefits of music-making, and celebrate the vital role of treasurers. Plus, we explore the lasting impact of legacies on Making Music and the third report from the 2022 Big Survey.

The Festival of Contemporary Music for All (CoMA) has kindly provided a selection of sample scores for newly commissioned instrumental and vocal pieces. Take a look and get in touch for the full parts (free of charge for members) if you would like to perform a piece at an event during the Festival weekend (4-6 March 2022).

Making Music members can book established professional musicians and ensembles at a subsidised fee. In turn, the artists gain exposure and more opportunities for bookings.

We are delighted to be preparing to launch a new and exclusive Recommended Artists Guide, an online database of affordable professional artists to book specially by leisure-time music groups and promoters.

Take it away work with music retailers to provide interest-free finance for the purchase of musical instruments and equipment, helping to ensure that more people can access instruments and learn to play.

Many choral societies have told us that they have challenges with attracting new members. While this is definitely not the case for all choral societies, last year Making Music undertook some research to identify what might be the barriers to new members joining choral societies.

Struggling to recruit younger members? In this guidance, reprinted from the Autumn 2016 issue of Highnotes, Making Music’s Youth Engagement Manager Xenia Davis has some suggestions.

The biggest barrier to young people joining music groups isn’t repertoire, or classical music being perceived as ‘stuffy’, or the age profile of the group.

One of the three priorities in our five-year-plan (which we started working to in 2017) is to welcome even more kinds of music groups to become part of the Making Music community. 

With a grant from the Arts Council England, we engaged Fiona Goh to look into this for us, and she delivered her report at the end of 2018. 

Find out more about Making Music's journey

Annual report 2018

To download a PDF copy, click the annual report image below and select 'download PDF' in the bottom right-hand corner.

Our 2017 membership survey aimed to find out what members think about Making Music as an organisation, what they think and value about their membership with us and what they think about the specific services, resources and support we offer. It was completed by individuals representing 20% of our members groups – a big thank you to all of them.