Retailers
John Myatt Woodwind and Brass - Instrument Specialists
Evans-Pughe Strings - Violins- Violas- Cellos- Double Basses- Electric Instruments- Bows- Cases- Strings- Accessories- Restoration- Repairs- Rehairing- Valuations- Insurance
Viola Maker - also articles about the viola, its history, issue of size and current attitudes towards the instrument.
Quote Benslow Music Trust as the introducing party and receive a special price on your insurance.
Dawke's Music - The Woodwind and Brass Warehouse
June Emerson Wind Music (distribution) and Emerson Edition (publishing)
Vivace Violins - Specialises in the sale of fine stringed instruments, bows and accessories.
A local professional recording studio which delivers top quality results for all styles of live music - from instrumental, acoustic, opera to heavy metal at affordable prices.
A fast, friendly service, whether you want a student trumpet or a professional quality trombone. Brass instruments, as well as mouthpieces, mutes and cleaning kits.
A specialist website for all sax players.
Letchworth's hugely popular independent record store. All styles of music on, both new and secondhand, including CDs, DVDs, Vinyl and music books.
One Voice Music - Specialist supplier of Brazilian & Cuban percussion instruments, cases, accessories, CDs and learning packs.
For all kinds of music, from simple melodies with chords to full orchestra, MusicMaster® makes notating simple, straightforward and affordable.
Clarinets Direct
SeaHook Music - Compositions and Arrangements for Wind Ensembles, specialising in music for Clarinet Choir.
At Thwaites we have everything you need as a string player under one roof. With a wealth of experience to draw on, we aim to combine good service and fine workmanship with value for money.
Howarth of London are the UK's leading Woodwind specialist and makers of high quality oboes from beginners up to professional level. They also retail other woodwind instruments and accessories, and sheet music for all woodwind instruments, and offer a specialist repair service for all woodwind instruments. More recently they have developed specific double reed instruments, their Mini-Bassoons and Junior oboes, to help young children start well.
Online shop selling violin strings and accessories in the UK
Educational organisations
Find out more about the Adult Residential Colleges Association.
Hitchin is the professional teaching practice of Nick Evans-Pughe LRAM providing expert and experienced violin and viola tuition for students of all ages, from beginners to diploma level.
Specialist Societies
A federation of clubs and societies.
National Association of Brass Band Conductors
Farnham Chamber Music Club
Kingston and District Chamber Music Society
The British Double Reed Society's website
The website of the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain
National Association of Musical Instrument Repairers
Commissioning and providing repertoire for amateur and young chamber musicians, of all levels of technical ability, for rehearsal, educational purposes and performance.
A society of cellists for all cellists in the United Kingdom.
One Voice Music promotes the teaching and performance of Afrobrazilian and Afrocuban percussion and dance in the UK.
If you play, teach, make, sell, write music for or just enjoy listening to flutes, the British Flute Society is for you.
Belsize Baroque is one of the leading amateur baroque orchestras. It comprises young professionals, students and committed amateurs. The orchestra performs on period instruments in an historically informed style. It collaborates regularly with leading baroque directors to give orchestral perfomances as well as working with choral groups.
The Musicians Benevolent Fund is a unique, UK based, charity which provides essential help to musicians of all ages. It supports music professionals throughout their working lives when a crisis such as an accident or illness can have a devastating impact and, in later life, with the challenges that face older people. It also recognises that the life of a professional musician begins early, and supports talented young people to enable them to fully develop their creativity and musical potential
National Early Music Association UK
Eastern Early Music
ACMP is a non-profit association that facilitates informal playing and singing by people of all ages and nationalities, beginners to professionals. Our 5,400 members come from every corner of the earth and share one interest: the love of making music with others
Everything a harpist could want on one site.
National Youth Jazz Orchestra
British Choirs on the Net: the UK's largest Choral Community
Our main focus is on the practical study of music through workshops and a Summer School. The workshops are held over a wide area from the South Lake District to North East Wales. Summer School is held in Ambleside. We also hold a library of musical instruments which are available for students of early music to borrow before purchasing their own.
The Wind Band Association is a new and exciting organisation dedicated to providing opportunities for adult amateur and professional wind band players of all standards to make music with other like-minded musicians.
www.nationalassociationofchoirs.org.uk
The "NAC" represents and supports over 500 choirs and 26,000 voices, all of them voluntary and amateur throughout the UK. We hold an Annual three day conference in a different regional location offering tutorial session, master classes, workshops, trade exhibition as well as regional groups which are highly successful in organising courses, singing and repertoire days, workshops and other events throughout the year.
ELLSO is a teaching string orchestra for adult late starters (18+). We want to encourage you to play music, so if you already play a stringed instrument (violin, viola, cello or double bass) or would like to learn (even as a complete beginner), we could be the orchestra you’re looking for - you don’t need to audition.
Early Music Network
Amateur Ensembles
A round-up of non-professional / community orchestras in the UK.
Thameside Clarinet Choir - Based near Kingston upon Thames - rehearses weekly with invitation Playing Days twice a year and an extensive library.
www.btinternet.com/~logical/orpheus.html
Orpheus Choir of North Herts. Chamber group of 24 members based at Little Benslow Hills. Meets on Tuesday evenings and always welcomes new applicants.
The friendly Stevenage Symphony Orchestra rehearses weekly during term-time and performs up to three times a year.
One of Hertfordshire's premier independent amateur orchestras.
An exciting new string chamber music course for adult amateur musicians
Business Directories
Visit the Hitchin website and find out more about this historic market town.
ihertfordshire.co.uk
Cyclex Business Directory
touchlocal.com
www.thebestof.co.uk/local/hitchin
The Best of Hitchin
Musical Information
Every aspect of classical music in a single place. As well as listings and search facilities for concerts, recordings, radio stations and services of all sorts.
Impulse - Information about composer, performers, record labels and music organisations.
Tutors' Personal Web Sites
Ravin 'Raz' Jayasuriya
Nick Care
www.thesingthing.com/mesomorph/workshops/index.htm
Anton Browne
Martin Outram/Maggini Quartet
Gerard McChrystal
Alison Crum
www.jwnelleke.nl/philippadavies
Phillipa Davies
Penelope Lynex
Event and Organisation Listings
The music directory for Beds, Herts and Bucks featuring live music for the three counties and music resources
Oclassical
Yourleisuretime.com
www.thinkconferences.co.uk/venue.cfm/show/697
Think Conferences
An umbrella organisation whose aim is to maintain and enhance Hitchin’s historic character. We campaign for action on issues that affect our town, and work with other community groups, Hitchin Initiative and North Hertfordshire District Council to ensure that the views of Hitchin people are heard
Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama
Music and Arts Organisations
makingmusiceastern.org.uk/links.htm
Making Music Eastern Region
Arts Council of England
The Cavatina Chamber Music Trust
www.northhertsmusicmaking.org.uk
Your enjoyment of singing, of playing and of listening to live music in the northern part of Hertfordshire will find plenty of interest in this web site.
Social Networking
www.facebook.com/pages/Benslow-Music-Trust/66200819274
Benslow's Facebook Page
Other courses and Summer Schools
Beauchamp House International Music and Drama Holiday Courses
Simply…great teachers, great music and great fun.
Based in Gloucestershire we have been running our highly acclaimed music and drama holiday courses for over 20 years. The tuition is first class, the music excellent and a fun time is guaranteed.