About the school:
Lochaber Music School SCIO was founded by Audrey Scot in 1987, with the ethos of providing high quality, accessible music tuition in Classical and Traditional Music in Lochaber. Over the years the school has changed from weekend workshops to offering tuition on violin, viola, cello, piano, clarsach and clarinet as well as ensemble classes such as Junior and Senior Orchestra, Music Makers Choir, Junior and Senior Choir, Music Makers and Explorers (musicianship classes for children age 6 months to middle of primary), Traditional Music Ensemble, Chamber Music and Music Theory and Musicianship. We employ 1 administrator and 9 highly skilled and respected musicians and teachers who are dedicated to teaching the young people of Lochaber through a holistic musical approach. As arts funding has been substantially decreased in Scotland, it is even more apparent that we need funder support to maintain the musical culture as a pillar of Scottish identity. Our project aims to keep this identity alive through providing music education in Classical Music from the ages of 6 months up until the end of high school.
While music education and appreciation are our predominant goal, we are heavily focused on the wellbeing of Lochaber’s young people. It is proven that a musical education increases coordination, communication and collaborative skills, reduces anxiety and stress and provides a sense of place and wellbeing for those involved. This is evidenced through impact and evaluation reports of organisations such as Sistema who prove that music education provides, but is not limited to, stronger engagement with general learning, building life skills, a sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing and it encourages healthy behaviours all the while developing musical skills (Sistema Big Noise, 2021). To further this, in January 2023, the UK Government’s Department of Education published What the National plan for music education means for children and young people which states “Learning about music and having the opportunity to play musical instruments and make music together is a vital part of a rich and rounded education. Music plays a key role in brain development. It helps to develop language, motor skills, emotional intelligence and collaboration skills.” While success at our school is not monitored by the pursuit of a musical career, we have a strong history of creating and educating professional musicians. These performers include, but are not limited to, Duncan Strachan (Maxwell Quartet), Claire Reynolds (LMS teacher and Music Therapist), Catherine Cameron (LMS teacher and music teacher) and Megan and Ingrid Henderson (Trad Musician and LMS teachers).
We are the only single day comprehensive music school in the Highlands which offers music appreciation classes from infancy to instrumental, theoretical and ensemble classes up to the end of high school. We believe that a full education is not complete without an appreciation and understanding of Classical Music and we focus on children and young people, with a special aim to engage those in disadvantaged areas of Lochaber. We believe it is fundamental to children and young peoples’ mental health and wellbeing that they participate in music education, and we use researched and proven methodologies to practice this in our classrooms. Lastly, we believe that Classical Music is fundamental to Scottish identity, and we are actively engaging in the promotion and education of children and young people located in Scotland.
