Northampton school unveils £35,000 music room and recording studio

Students at On Track Education Centre, in Moulton Park,have been gifted with a shiny new £35,000 recording studio, instruments and mixing decks by the Sir Thomas Wright Trust.
By Carly Roberts
Published 27th Feb 2019, 14:18 BST
Updated 27th Feb 2019, 21:15 BST
Staff, pupils and trustees pictures outside the new facility. It's hoped the music room will engage children and inspire them to perhaps become musicians, if it is their niche.Staff, pupils and trustees pictures outside the new facility. It's hoped the music room will engage children and inspire them to perhaps become musicians, if it is their niche.
Staff, pupils and trustees pictures outside the new facility. It's hoped the music room will engage children and inspire them to perhaps become musicians, if it is their niche.

The room gives students, aged between 11 and 19, the opportunity to edit and make their own songs with the same equipment used by some of the worlds top musicians.

The school is a not-for-profit independent special school, which gives students access to vocational and outdoor learning experiences.

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Many of the young people there have fallen out of mainstream education.

Alex Culverhouse is a really keen musician and has further learned how to play the guitar after regular music lessons with new music teacher Carl Sheinman.Alex Culverhouse is a really keen musician and has further learned how to play the guitar after regular music lessons with new music teacher Carl Sheinman.
Alex Culverhouse is a really keen musician and has further learned how to play the guitar after regular music lessons with new music teacher Carl Sheinman.

Centre manager Sally O’Connor said: “We could not imagine how amazing this studio has been and how many kids have got involved in using it. “The really vulnerable ones have chosen to come and get into music, it’s so inspiring.

“With our young people we have to find something that they want to get involved with and engage with. To be able to get them involved in the musical side of things is brilliant.”

On Track Education Centre has 32 pupils across its two schools.

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The studio, which opened just before Christmas, was unveiled yesterday at an official launch ceremony and will soon be available for students to take qualifications in music.

The mixing decks allow the children to edit their own songs.The mixing decks allow the children to edit their own songs.
The mixing decks allow the children to edit their own songs.

Mrs O'Connor added: "We also want to link with the community and we want to offer it out to other young people.

"There's a lot of young people at the moment who are involved in gangs, so I'm meeting with the police to liaise and start bringing people in here, just one at a time, to come in and jam."

Related topics:StudentsNorthampton