Thank you for a wonderful year of music-making, a reminder that there's no YMM this Saturday, key dates including the office reopening for email and admin enquiries on 24 August and the start of the Autumn term on 19 September, a Big Give pledges update, the full group offer for September, and this term's exam successes.
Dear YMM Community
🎉🎶 Thank You for a Wonderful Year!
Congratulations to everyone who took part in last Saturday's mini concerts, our final Saturday of the summer term—what a wonderful way to finish the year!
A huge congratulations as well to all our students, parents and tutors for another fantastic year of music-making at YMM. Thank you for all your hard work, enthusiasm and support throughout the year.
Just a reminder that there will be no YMM this coming Saturday.
The office will remain open until Friday 24 July, before closing for most of August. We will reopen for email and admin enquiries on 24 August.
The first Saturday of the Autumn Term is 19 September. You can find the full list of term dates for next year here.
Please see below for some important updates. 👇
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💚 Big Give Christmas Challenge
We're continuing to build towards this year's Big Give Christmas Challenge, our biggest annual fundraiser for the YMM Bursary Scheme, helping children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford music lessons and ensembles.
Last year, thanks to your incredible support, we raised more than £5,000, enabling 16 young musicians to take part fully in YMM. This year we're aiming even higher.
How it works
If we secure £2,500 in pledges (made up of gifts of £100 or more) by 5:00 pm on 28 August, the Big Give will match that amount.
Then, during the Christmas Challenge in December, every public donation will be matched again, meaning those initial pledges could ultimately generate £10,000 for our bursary programme—enough to fund a full year of music for our current bursary students.
We've already received £1,100 in pledges—thank you so much to everyone who has already supported the campaign.
If you're able to become one of our core supporters by pledging £100 or more, we'd be hugely grateful. You can make your pledge here.
Nothing is paid now—pledges are only collected if we successfully raise the matching funds during the December campaign.
If you're unable to pledge, you can still make a huge difference by sharing the campaign with friends, family and your wider networks.
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🎻 Planning for September
Thank you to everyone who has already requested lesson changes, new groups and one-to-one lessons for September.
Next week is our final admin week before the summer closure, and I'll be completing next year's timetable. If you'd like to make any changes, now is the ideal time to get in touch.
Please also take a look at this year's group programme below. Playing in groups is one of the most important parts of becoming a confident musician, while also making new friends and having lots of fun.
🎻 New Beginner Strings
We're delighted to introduce a brand new Beginner Strings group for young string players who have completed at least one term of lessons.
Led by the wonderful Rocket Brooks, this group is the perfect next step for developing confidence, ensemble skills and musical friendships.
If you'd like your child to join, please email me.
🚀 New Beginnovate Cohort
We're also launching a brand new intake for Beginnovate, the first stage of our creative Innovate programme.
This is open to:
- all current Music Box 2 students
- all children entering School Year 2
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🌟 Is your child in Music Box?
Music Box 1 students will automatically move up to Music Box 2 next term. Their class time will remain the same.
All Music Box 2 students are now eligible to join both Beginnovate and Choir 1.
Beginnovate gives children the opportunity to make music together using classroom instruments, their own instrument (if they're already learning one), or both. They'll develop essential musical skills including:
- playing in time
- listening carefully
- performing as an ensemble
- creating music collaboratively
Year 2 is also an excellent time to begin one-to-one instrumental lessons.
We strongly recommend combining Beginnovate with Choir 1—a fantastic combination for young musicians.
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🚀 The Innovate Pathway
To ensure a smooth progression, all current Innovate students will automatically move up to the next level next term.
Beginnovate → Innovate 1 → Innovate 2 → Innovate 3
- Beginnovate → Innovate 1
- Innovate 1 → Innovate 2
- Innovate 2 → Innovate 3
Class times will remain the same for all progressing students.
Next term:
- Ashley will lead Beginnovate and Innovate 1
- Joel will lead Innovate 2
- John will lead Innovate 3
Our new Beginnovate class for Year 2 students will take place at 11:00.
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🎶 Other Updates
🥁 Samba Drumming is now open to any student with some instrumental or vocal experience.
🎵 Groove Orchestra is open to all YMM students (approximately Grades 2–8), with bespoke parts written for every player based on their instrument and experience.
🎷 Jazz 2 continues under internationally acclaimed arranger Reuben Fowler, who writes bespoke arrangements especially for the band.
🚀 Is it time to join another group?
Please take a careful look at the updated programme below to see whether it's time to move up, try something new or join an additional ensemble.
Playing in groups is one of the very best ways to develop as a musician. It builds confidence, listening skills, creativity, friendships and, above all, it's great fun.
🎼 Saturday Group Programme
Early Years
Music Box 1 — Ages 4–5 (Reception) — 9:30–10:00
Music Box 2 — Ages 5–6 (Year 1) — 9:00–9:30
Choirs
Choir 1 — Ages 6–8 — 10:00–10:45
Choir 2 — Ages 9–12 — 11:00–11:45
Community Choir — Teens & Adults — 9:45–10:45
Innovate & Creative Ensembles
Beginnovate — Ages 6–7 — 11:00
Innovate 1 — Ages 8–9 — 9:00–9:45
Innovate 2 — Ages 10–12 — 12:00–1:00
Innovate 3 — Ages 13+ — 1:00–2:00
Groove Orchestra — All YMM students (approx. Grades 2–8) — 11:00–12:00
Theory Support — All learners — TBC
Classical
Beginner Strings — One term of lessons completed — 11:00
Junior Strings — Grades 1–2 — 11:45–12:30
Junior Flutes — Grade 1+ — 12:00–12:30
Chamber Group — Grades 3+ (Grade 6+ for repertoire) — 10:15–10:45
Advanced Classical Guitars — Grade 5+ — 12:00–12:30
Adult Flute Ensemble — Intermediate–Advanced — 11:00–11:30
Adult Instrumental Group — Adults — 12:00–12:45
Adult Recorders — Adults — 9:45–11:00
Jazz
Jazz 1 — Grades 1–3 — 10:00–10:45
Jazz 2 (Big Band) — Grades 4+ — 12:00–1:00
Adult Jazz Ensemble — Grades 4–8 (18+) — 1:00–1:45
Rock & Pop
Rock & Pop 1 — Basic chords required — 9:15–10:00
Rock & Pop 2 — Intermediate — 10:00–10:45
World Music
Samba Drumming — Ages 10–18; some experience — 11:30–12:15
Salsa Group — Ages 11+; ensemble experience helpful — 2:00–3:00
📧 Please email me as soon as possible if you'd like to move groups or join a new one.
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🎓🌟 Exam Success
Congratulations to our latest successful exam candidates!
- 🎶 Ava — Grade 5 Flute — High Merit
- 🎸 Christian — Grade 3 Acoustic Guitar — Merit
- 🎻 Enoch — Grade 8 Violin — High Merit
- 🎶 Alyx — Grade 1 Flute — Merit
A huge thank you and well done to their teachers—Sara, Sinead, Michel and Rocket—for all their excellent teaching and support.
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Thank you once again for a wonderful year of music-making.
I'll send one final newsletter next week before the office closes for the summer.
If you'd like to begin lessons, change groups or join a new ensemble in September, please email me as soon as possible so I can reserve your place while I'm timetabling next week.
If you're happy with your current lessons and groups, there's nothing you need to do—your place will automatically continue into next term.
Best wishes,
John
John K Miles MMus
https://www.johnkmiles.co.uk
Musical Director, YMM