This month, as part of our 25th anniversary festivities, we’re celebrating the creative spirit in all its aspects and are hosting a series of talks and workshops on the meaning of creativity and how to best get involved in the creative arts. With this mood of inspiration in mind, we’ve put together this guide to help people get creative.
MUSIC
Compiled by COURTNEY EVANS
JACK MAC
South Wales
For those who want to learn a musical instrument or want to pick it back up again, Jack Mac is an accomplished music teacher offering fun lessons from beginner to advanced level. Lessons are available for piano, saxophone, clarinet, keyboard, flute and music theory. His lessons can be adapted to those musicians working towards grades and examination requirements or for those simply playing for personal enjoyment, with additional support in performance for those with their eyes set on the stage.
Cost: £25 hourly rate
Info: [email protected] / jackmacsax.com/education
MUSIC AND THE MUSE
Date is arranged to suit you or there are various workshops to attend
Throughout Wales
Music And The Muse is a dynamic group of arts practitioners, experienced in leading exciting community projects in Wales. These projects include creative music workshops and training in running workshops. The group can teach a range of skills through the workshops such as taiko drumming, samba drumming, a cappella singing and songwriting.
Admission: contact for prices
Info: 07425 143038 / www.musicandthemuse.com
CHAPTER – CARDIFF COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL
Canton, Cardiff
For over 40 years, Chapter has been a centre of creativity in Cardiff, offering a music school to help many people to learn to play an instrument. The workshops provide lessons for a range of instruments including the flute, guitar, drums, piano and singing. They also offer one-to-one and group lessons, as well as parent-child combined lessons, and always provide a free introductory lesson.
Admission: contact for prices
Info: 029 2063 8059 / www.chapter.org/people/creative-community-tenant/cardiff-community-music-school
PIANO LESSONS SWANSEA
Teaching students of all ages and abilities, qualified music teacher Joe Bayliss teaches across Swansea and is available for lessons at students’ homes or from his own home. The aim is to make teaching enjoyable, simple and as straightforward as possible for those students who want to learn as a beginner and for those who wish to return to the instrument. You can gain the skills to get back into playing the instrument that you love.
Cost: £24 for one hour/£13 half an hour
Info: 03458 693391 / www.pianolessonsswansea.com
GAMLIN’S MUSIC CENTRE
St Mary Street, Cardiff
Gamlin’s Music Centre offers a vast variety of instruments including keyboards and pianos in many shapes, sizes and colours. This includes both new and second-hand items to suit every price range. Parent who knows how much instruments can cost and is hesitating in case your child loses interest? The music centre provides a rental option and also offers a professional concert hire service for those playing in front of an audience.
Info: 029 2022 0828 / www.gamlinsmusic.co.uk
PMT
St Mary Street, Cardiff
PMT is an award-winning musical instrument and equipment retailer, established in 1991, which specialises in the supply of guitars, drums, amps, keyboards, pianos, live sound and pro audio equipment, and recording and DJ equipment. The store has won nine awards in the music industry including MIA Best Presented Retailer 2014 and Fender Europe’s Top Dealer Award 2015.
Info: 02920 221029 / www.pmtonline.co.uk
PIRATE STUDIOS
Curran Embankment, Cardiff
Pirate Studios offer unrivalled sound quality and is open 24/7. The studios offer everything you need to get started, as well as private XL studios with plenty of room for large bands. If you want to create an album as a single artist or as a group, Pirate Studios has you covered. From £4-£10 per hour, the studios include instruments for free to ensure that the recordings are created at a professional level.
Cost: from £4 per hour
Info: 01159 659747 / www.piratestudios.co.uk
STIR STUDIO
Williams Court, Trade Street, Cardiff
Over the years, Stir has had many clients and has worked with a number of high-profile acts and tracks. Two Manic Street Preachers albums, Lifeblood and Send Away The Tigers, have been recorded at Stir Studio, as well as some material by Super Furry Animals. The studio is a professional facility which houses a range of different equipment. As well as being equipped with everything needed to make professional music, the studio is run by Paul Durrant, one of south Wales’ most experienced producers.
Cost: £50-£200 for a song
Info: www.stirstudio.co.uk