West Highland College UHI and The National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music to launch new joint venture.
West Highland College UHI and The National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music (NCTEM) at Plockton are getting ready to launch their new joint venture – a range of taster sessions, weekend courses and a brand new full time course for 2011-12, aimed at those interested in Traditional Music.
Meetings are already taking place to plan and promote the courses for next year and the College will be recruiting staff to support the new venture. It’s hoped that some of the weekend courses and taster sessions could be in place for next February/March, hosted in Plockton.
“It’s great to see some of the fruits of our labours over the last few months. After lengthy and productive discussions with our colleagues at NCTEM, we can now offer courses designed to attract a whole new type of student to the College – someone who perhaps wants to improve the musical skills they already have, or to have the chance to indulge a hobby that they have long wished to pursue,” said Andrea Matheson, Assistant Principal at WHC UHI.
Courses will cover several aspects of music, including performance, recording, composition, arrangement, and notation skills, but there will be the opportunity for prospective students to request courses in their own particular field of interest. Much of what is offered will be based around the content of the units taught on the NC Music course, but course content can be tailored to meet the needs of both certificated and non-certificated classes.
NCETM Director Dougie Pincock said: “These courses will offer students who have not had an opportunity to study music before, on a part time or full time basis, a great new way to become involved in an important part of our local culture and tradition. We are delighted to be able to provide the musical expertise and experience to West Highland College UHI and we are really looking forward to working together on this new project. The full range of courses to be offered will be announced at our Christmas Concert in Plockton on December 10th.”
For more information about the courses planned – contact Dougie Pincock on 01599 544706 or e-mail dougie.pincock@highland.gov.uk.