Learn to Play is back: Music Makers Across The UK Invited to Join UK’s Free National Music Making Event
UK charity ‘Music for All’ have announced that their highly anticipated annual flagship event Learn to Play is returning this Autumn, and are opening the opportunity for anyone interested in music-making a chance to take part in the biggest free music making weekend of the year!
The event will be held in venues up and down the country on 9-12 October and is open to everyone; regardless of age, experience and background and provides opportunities for participants to experience a free taster music making lesson
Running for over a decade, Learn to Play aims to inspire, encourage and enable both new and lapsed music makers to enjoy the huge benefits of music making, as well as connecting and championing UK music providers.
Recent research shows that listening to music and playing a musical instrument can have profound positive benefits on brain health from childhood through to late adulthood.
In a 2024 report published by the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, more than 1,100 people with an average age of 68 were studied practising and reading music to help sustain good memory and the ability to solve complex tasks. The results showed that people who played musical instruments benefitted the most because of the “multiple cognitive demands” of the activity. They concluded music should be considered as part of a lifestyle approach to maintain the brain as we age.
Similarly, taking up a musical instrument in childhood is associated with improved thinking skills in older age. A 2022 study, funded by Age UK and the Economic and Social Research Council tested the cognitive ability of children at age 11 and repeated again at age 70 – this included questions requiring verbal reasoning, spatial awareness, and numerical analysis. Out of the 366 study participants, 117 reported having experience of playing a musical instrument during their childhood.
Sonali Banerjee, Music for All’s General Manager explains: ‘Engagement with performance-based art, particularly participation in music, has been very well documented over the years as being linked to reductions in depression, anxiety and pain and improved quality of life for many people. Learn to Play activities are needed now more than ever and through our regional music making events, we aim to support and inspire as many people as possible in experiencing the unique joys and benefits of music making.
Learn to Play arrives at a time where music making opportunities are difficult to access due to current continued real terms cuts to arts education – resulting in many primary schools failing to meet basic music curriculum needs for young people. These cuts impact the future of the UK arts scene, and the creative potential of the next generation as well as the people who deliver quality arts education in the UK. At Music for All we make it our mission to support disadvantaged music makers with financial resources to access music making, and Learn to Play is a fundamental part of this work.’
The positive impact of using music to support and enhance mental and physical health in people’s lives has been well documented in numerous academic and social studies. Learning to play music offers opportunities to:
- Stimulate your mind and boost memory
- Feel pride and a sense of achievement
- Connect with others and make new friends
- Take a break from daily stresses and worries
- Be creative whilst having fun
- Discover the joy of music-making
Lyn Watts who joined a taster piano lesson with Deborah Johns, a private music tutor in Droitwich, Worcestershire experienced the joys of a Learn to Play event in 2024:
‘I am so pleased I saw a sign outside a local music tutor’s house advertising a free taster lesson. It was a brilliant opportunity to see if I felt there was a chance I might be able to learn a musical instrument, as well as read music. I subsequently started taking 20 minute music lessons with the same tutor and have since been making progress.’
Music for All believes everyone should have equal access to music making and supports disadvantaged individuals, educators and community projects through an extensive awards programme of cash grants and instruments throughout each year.
Kenza Blanca, a British Moroccan Afro-Amazigh-Arabian singer-songwriter, known for her standout performance on ITV’s The Voice UK and Music for All ambassador explains: ‘I am so proud to be an ambassador for Music for All and support their Learn to Play events whole-heartedly. Learn to Play offers free music lessons for those wanting the opportunity to start an instrument or pick one back up. I’m supporting Learn to Play because music should be available and accessible to everyone, it can help build confidence and bring people together, it’s a real sense of achievement learning to play.’
Interested in experiencing the joys of music-making and taking part in Learn to Play ’25 with a free music lesson? It couldn’t be easier, simply visit the Learn to Play ‘25 website, select your closest venue using the interactive map and register interest directly with the venue.
The Learn to Play ’25 event is generously supported by the NAMM Foundation and The Foyle Foundation. Partners include Music Industries Association, Making Music, Black Lives in Music, Take it Away, and Yamaha Music London.
To get the latest updates on Music for All and the Learn to Play ‘25 event follow us on our social channels: Facebook, Instagram ,LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads
Sign our Music Makers’ Charter petition for free to demand better access to music making for everyone: change.org
Music for All enquiries contact: help@musicforall.org.uk
Music for All Patron: Jools Holland OBE
Ambassadors: All Murray, Angelica Bell, Cathy Newman, Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE, Emanuel J Burton, Gareth Malone MBE, Hannah Rankin, James Buckle, Jamie Cullum, Jonathan Harris CBE FRIC S, Jools Holland OBE, Kate Rusby, Kenza Blanca, Lord Michael Bichard, Manvinder Rattan, Orphy Robinson MBE, Parv Kaur, Snow Patrol.
Music for All is a charity dedicated to helping individuals and community groups of all ages and backgrounds experience the joys and benefits of making music. Access to music education is steadily decreasing with reductions in government and community funding.
Music for All supports disadvantaged music makers with limited financial resources or access to music making. By providing regular awards of cash grants and instrument donations to schools, local community groups, charities and individuals.
For more information, go to:
www.musicforall.org.uk or www.facebook.com/musicforallcharity
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Source: musicinstrumentnews.co.uk
