There are many reasons why people decide to learn to play a musical instrument or to sing. Some have a desire to make music with other people in bands and orchestras, others just wish to play at home after school or work and some enjoy the challenge of learning new skills and abilities. Whichever category you may fall into, the principle behind them all is that music is fun! It is relaxing, often therapeutic and enables us to express ourselves creatively in a wide variety of ways.

As well as the enjoyment that music gives to ourselves and others, there are other very good reasons why we believe that music is a vital part of children's education. Many recent studies show that regular participation in musical activities helps children develop their abilities in other academic areas, most notably in numeracy and literacy. In addition, learning to play an instrument develops a wide variety of personal skills including self-confidence, co-ordination, concentration, listening skills, memory, self-discipline, creativity and communication skills.

At Wakefield Music Services, we place particular importance on encouraging children to make music in a wide variety of groups and ensembles. Most musicians find that this is the most rewarding aspect of playing an instrument or singing and many find that it is a large factor in keeping themselves motivated to practice. Playing together is a very sociable activity and helps develop teamwork skills, co-operation and commitment.

We take pride in the fact that the staff at WMS are very experienced at getting the best out of their pupils; most are qualified teachers and all are specialists within their fields. In order for the pupils to achieve their best though, it is vitally important that students are encouraged as much as possible from home to practice and take part in musical activities. Over the years, many outstanding musicians have learned their skills through Wakefield Music Services, but none achieved this without plentiful support from their families and, of course - lots and lots of practice!