Core Music is a not-for-profit social enterprise. If you would like to help fund what we do please
Please note the coronavirus pandemic means that ABRSM music exams are cancelled at Core Music from Tuesday 17 March and across the country from Wednesday 18 March.
Coronavirus COVID-19
Core Music is now CLOSED to the public until further notice.
This closure applies to every aspect of our operations including the shop, tuition, groups and workshops.
Message from the Core Music Board of Directors, 3 April 2020
Hello Core Family,
Given the rapid changes to business and operations over the last few weeks, we thought now was a good time to give you an update on Core Music.
Since we had to close our doors, the Core Music Board of Directors have been looking at how we can maintain our healthy finances and ensure we are ready to fight all that COVID-19 brings to small businesses.
We are planning to return to full strength once the pandemic is over and life can return to a new normal. To do that, we need to make some short-term changes:
1) Staff members including Mike Coleman are now on furlough, meaning the Government is taking control of their wages for the time being, and the Board has temporarily taken control of the running of Core. Please rest assured that we will not deviate from the all-important Core values and will hand it back as soon as we can.
2) The Board are actively looking at all the possible grants and funding available to Core and are applying for everything they can. We hope to have a clear steer of our options in the coming weeks.
3) We have supported our independent music teachers to help to ensure those who can carry on lessons remotely are able to do so, which is so important to them and their students.
4) Friends of Core – now more than ever we need your support! If you can continue with your monthly donations, please do. If you can add another £1 or more to your monthly donations, please do. If you are able to make a sizeable donation, please do! Every single penny donated to Core in the foreseeable future will be vital to help us through this testing time.
5) Please encourage your friends to become Friends of Core; the more Friends we have, the more support we get.
Even though Core is closed, you can still keep in touch and we would love to hear from you – here is how you can do that:
Email: info@coremusic.co.uk
Website: www.coremusic.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Core.Music.CIC
Twitter: @coremusichexham (www.twitter.com/coremusichexham)
Over the coming weeks, we will do all we can to keep you up to date on where we are at, add some music to cheer you up and help you get through these strange days. Do like and share our posts and comment as and where you can. If you think of something we are not doing but could be doing, please let us know; if we can put a smile on a face through music, we will certainly try.
Very best wishes from all of us,
The Core Music Board of Directors
Our Facebook feed
Keep up to date with the latest developments at Core Music. We’ll also try to keep everyone entertained through this period!
Many of you will know Chad Langford, one of Core Music's guitar tutors. Chad and a colleague from Chicago have put together a song writing and pop music camp for anyone to sign up to using the links below. The links provide all details of when and how to sign up as well as the cost of the five day camp.
chadlangford.com/site/teaching/pop-music-camp-2020/
and on Billie’s page, for registrants from the US:
www.billiejeanhoward.com/camp
We’re excited about the possibility of having students from both the US and the UK learning and working together in the same sessions; it could be such a fun and memorable experience for everyone!
Spring Update
Welcome to the Spring edition of our newsletter in what are very strange and unprecedented times. During this time of uncertainty, we have sadly had to keep the doors of Core Music closed to ensure that we stay safe.
Well, the doors may be shut, but there is certainly a lot going on back stage. If you haven’t seen the Facebook updates and twitter feeds recently, do go and have a look:
Facebook - Core Music CIC
Twitter - @coremusichexham
Core Music Quiz
On Wednesday 20th May, we hosted a very successful Virtual Quiz Night (via Zoom) with Owain taking up the role of Quiz Master. The winners were The Tanner’s Yard Bluegrass Team but all Zoomers agreed it was fun night. As one participant said it was “…. some welcome respite from the confinement” and “the best Zoom experience I’ve had”. There is talk of a second Quiz night next month, but we will keep you posted on that one.
Exceptional Donations and a Great Big THANK YOU!
During these exceptionally difficult times, we have been honored to receive support and funding from the local community and the local government grants. We would like to thank you all and our Friends of Core, who are helping to keep Core going and ensuring we come out of this pandemic ready to serve the community again.
Virtual Lessons
We have found that there have been a large number of teachers and students taking up the virtual challenge and tuning into the likes of Zoom, Facetime and WhatsApp video calling to keep progressing. We know it isn’t the same as having a face-to-face lesson, but we know it works for this strange time we find ourselves in. And with the additional practice time we now find we have; we can’t think of a better way to continue with the lessons.
Bedroom Barbershop
Our very own Owain has been keeping us entertained with ‘Something for the Weekend’, with his very own Bedroom Barbershop Quartet. It’s well worth a listen to hear his talent, and to also check out his hat!
There are also musical interludes from all sorts of local people, you may see someone you know when you take a look!
What next?
Mike is safe and well, and still on furlough. He is did a great conversation with HexhamTV about how he is finding furlough - Its on our Facebook page if you want to take a look. In the meantime the Board are working hard to find a way to ensure Core comes out of this pandemic in a positive position. With new government guidelines coming out every day, the team is looking at how and when it might be safe to reopen, and what that might look like. It would be great to get the shop open and lessons up and running again, so we are looking at a one way system and the room spaces, and how we can adapt to make things safe for the staff, the teachers and the pupils.
We are also looking at how we can potentially reopen the honesty café. This will take a bit longer to get through, but we are optimistic that we can get there.
We will keep you updated as we scale up our plan to reopen, but in the meantime, stay safe and stay well. That’s the most important thing we can all do right now.
Stay safe and well, The Core Team
Welcome to Core Music
We are a not-for-profit organisation on a mission to make music accessible to all in our community. It’s a place where people of all ages and abilities can learn to play or sing, and take part in sessions, clubs and workshops.
What we do
Shop
We have a well-stocked shop in Hexham, full of instruments of every type at competitive prices, along with all the accessories and sheet music you might need
DVD Rental
We have a fantastic archive of over 3,500 DVDs available to rent, with new releases arriving regularly from the biggest blockbusters to indie hits.
Room Hire
Looking for a space to practice, record or hold a meeting? We have several rooms available to hire
Activities
Enhance your instrumental skills, learn new tunes and have loads of fun at one of our regular weekly clubs. We cater for a huge range of instruments, musical genres and skill levels!
Events
From gigs to one-off workshops, there’s always something coming up soon at Core Music.
Instrument Lessons
There are hundreds of students improving their playing at Core Music every week – why not join them?
Upcoming Events
Big summer events programme in the works!
We’ve got some fantastic events coming up over the summer, so keep an eye out here or sign up for our email newsletter to find out what’s happening.
