Huntingdonshire Music School Association

At present, individual tuition is offered on the following instruments -

• Acoustic Guitar
• Banjo
• Bassoon
• Cello
• Clarinet
• Classical Guitar
• Cor Anglais
• Cornet
• Double Bass
• Drum Kit
• Electric Guitar
• Euphonium
• Flugel Horn
• Flute
• French Horn
• Harpsichord
• Horn
• Keyboard
• Eb Bass
• Oboe
• Orchestral Percussion
• Organ
• Piano
• Piccolo
• Recorder
• Saxophones (all)
• Singing
• Tenor Horn
• Trombone
• Trumpet
• Tuba
• Viola
• Violin

Tuition for any other instrument can be arranged. If you want to learn the steel drums or mongolian nose flute you have but to ask

Huntingdonshire Music School was founded in 1966 and has grown into one of the largest and most successful establishments of its type. It runs the only Saturday Morning Music School in the county and for miles beyond that is open to both children and adults. There are more than 460 students with ages ranging from 4 to 83, and at least 35 staff who give individual tuition and direct ensembles.  Lessons take place at Huntingdonshire College on weekday evenings and at the exciting Saturday Morning Music School. There is a flourishing and supportive Huntingdonshire Music School Association.

You may have heard the recent BBC Radio 4 programme, hosted by William Hague, about Late Learners (a very good listen).  Well we cater for late learners.  We can also cater for early learners.  Worried about making noises in public (or at least in front of other people)?  We also cater for terrified learners.  To be honest, whatever kind of learner you are we can cater for you. It is a wonderful thing when (as someone quite a bit over 21!) you sit down for the first time in the preparatory concert band and the very composed young person sitting next to you says “don’t worry if you make a mistake - we all do at times “

Huntingdonshire Music School provides the opportunity for children and adults to learn (or continue to learn) a musical instrument (including the voice) in a relaxed, friendly and social setting.

We cover most types of instrument from classical, jazz to rock and electronic.

What is HUMSA?

It is the parent body that supports the Huntingdonshire Music School - a form of PTA.

The aims and objectives of HUMSA are:-

• to provide a stimulating environment in which to promote the study and performance of music for students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in Huntingdon and surrounding areas.
• to offer a broad range of specialist, individual music tuition for students at all ability levels, consolidated by theory tuition, aural training and group music making activities to match the varying needs and interests
• to promote the musical education of children and young persons and adults resident in the area around Huntingdon in particular by organising and supporting a music school
• to promote the enjoyment and performance of orchestral, instrumental and choral music and all other performing arts in this area

The role of HUMSA is to strive to achieve these objectives. Specifically it will:-

• establish, provide, maintain and encourage the teaching of music, music theory and music performance in the area around Huntingdon.
• make access to this musical education open to all without distinction of age, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin or place of residence.
• as far as practically possible encourage and enable the pursuit of this musical education and performance by children and young people of families of limited financial means.
• establish, maintain and encourage such orchestras, bands and musical ensembles as are judged by the Management Committee mentioned below to promote the objects of the Association.
• prepare and promote concert performances by such ensembles of music of all kinds both in public and in private.
• strive towards achievement of the highest possible musical standards by the various musical ensembles
• encourage the achievement of the highest possible success in practical and theory examinations in all kinds of music and performing arts by those taking part in the Association’s activities.

Whilst this might sound as though it needs super heroes with underpants on the outside, we are, in fact, everyday mortals (Mk 1 Human Beings).

Who is in HUMSA?

All adult pupils of the Music College and parents of our younger pupils are automatically members of HUMSA. Specifically, the types of membership available are:-

• Ordinary Members. Persons who have enrolled for tuition or participation in ensembles plus parents and guardians of these members. Friends of the Association who have paid the annual subscription
• Life Members. Individuals who have paid a single subscription or donation to the Association of not less than five times the Friend’s annual subscription
• Corporate Members. Bodies corporate and unincorporated societies which subscribe to the Association an annual sum of not less than ten times the Friend’s annual subscription

How Is it Run?

Like any other organisation, we have a committee that runs HUMSA on a day to day basis. We have formal positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. We have an Annual General Meeting (groan ;-( )for the election of committee members and the formal positions which is normally co-incident with an end-of-term concert.

We do involve the rest of HUMSA where collective decisions have to be made or where information needs to be gathered to help formulate plans for the future.