Belmont Music Centre

Belmont Music Centre is really awesome!  All primary and intermediate-aged children in the Takapuna to Devonport area should join.

Yep, this is an unpaid advertisement for our local non-profit music teaching centre.  (Which, by the way, turned 50 this year.)

Sadly, our previous manager had some health problems and had to suddenly resign.  The committee was down to one solitary person, and with no one to run the place we were looking at having to close permanently.

Gugu (my big sis), who was the sole surviving committee member, stepped in and did what was needed to keep things going.  For the past several weeks, for several hours per week, she has been doing the surprisingly many things that an organisation needs done, and all for no pay.

Things are now looking up, we are re-populating the committee, and new and exciting ideas are bouncing around.  Gugu is now Interim Manager and Committee Chairperson, while I have got the title of Treasurer.  We're still looking for more volunteers to help share the burdens and give back to our local kids.

So, here's what happens: We've got 11 brilliant teachers teaching a range of instruments and music knowledge on Saturday mornings during term-time.  They are paid (though far below the going rate for music teachers) directly by the Ministry of Education.  The very minimal tuition fees that each student pays then contributes to the general running expenses of the Music Centre.  Parents who think this is an awesome community service join the committee or volunteer their time in other ways to help keep things going.

Basically, this is an environment where music and community involvement are the driving forces.  We all think that kids learning music is great fun and hugely beneficial, and we get together to volunteer our time to make it happen.

We're looking forward to continuing next year, and we're hoping for more kids playing music and more parents volunteering behind the scenes to make it happen.