The North & Midlands School of Music is an organisation which I warmly recommend to others. Their list of patrons includes Professor Ian Tracey, Dr Kemp English, Dr Carol Williams & Stephen Burtonwood. On a day-to-day basis it is run by its officers which include Stewart Hankinson, Dr Keith Harrington, Dr Paul Melville, Chris Pilsbury, Dr Colin Porter, Dr Michael Pretty, Mark Rawsthorn, Dr Anthony Tam and Roger Watkinson. These will be well-known names to many organists and indicates how seriously they take their tagline of Recognising Talent, Rewarding Achievement. Chairman Dr Colin Porter is a long-term Makin customer who has been organist at Mossley Hill Parish Church in Liverpool since 1985.
Colin wrote about NMSM:
One of the great features of the NMSM is to encourage musicians to make the most of their talents and to have their achievements rewarded by diplomas on completion of their chosen examination.
Founded in 1992, we are an independent, self-funding organisation. Despite its title, we are not a ‘school’ in the normal sense as there is no physical building and no teaching is undertaken, as we operate as a ‘guild’. We have one physical meeting each year which is a good opportunity for our members to meet with the Management Team and vice-versa. The day is always enjoyable with coffee on arrival followed by lunch. We then move into the AGM to receive reports and a general discussion on the work of the NMSM during the year. This is followed by awards to successful members who have gained a diploma during that year and then a members’ composite recital for those wishing to take part which is open to the public.
Membership is open to anyone interested in music, performers, composers, or researchers. As the School receives no external funding, an annual membership fee is payable and it is a pre-requisite to register as a subscribing member, prior to applying to be assessed. For an annual subscription of £20.00 the NMSM publishes a magazine ‘Clarion’ twice yearly.
Keith Harrington commented “The examinations are incredibly flexible and can involve performance, dissertation, improvisation and composition and often tailored to each individual candidate. Take a look at their website and contact the school for more details. This could be the best £20 you spend each year”.
