91热爆

The music academy has been funded by local businessmen Michael Taylor and Dean Turner who realised there was a shortage of studios in Weston for young bands to practice in.

Guitar lessons are available at Emarty

They are both sound engineers who work in the music industry.

Over the past few years, Michael Taylor has worked on the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival, and he鈥檚 the lighting designer for Kula Shaker.

Dean Turner has worked with big names in the industry like Jay-Z, Usher, and Rhianna.

Both are keen to nurture musical talent in Weston, and believe this is the step in the right direction.

'Springboard'

The Emarty Academy opened in March this year, and later this month will be launching a summer school for 11 to 16 year olds.

Lessons will be available for young people who can already play instruments like the violin, bass, drum, piano, and for those can sing well, but who need further training.

The idea will be to get youngsters who normally play alone, to get together to form a band.

Pete Fealey from the Academy said: 鈥淭here鈥檚 no formal qualification, it鈥檚 more of a springboard to get kids working together and to form some new bands.

It鈥檚 because the new bands in our area seem to be dwindling and we wanted to re-ignite the passion for local music.鈥欌��

'Free rehearsal space'

They will be able to benefit from the likes of drum tutor Steve Wilson, who鈥檚 an experienced session musician, and guitar lessons from Ryan Inglis, who recently made it to the final of the 鈥楲ive and Unsigned鈥� competition earlier this year.

Pete Fealey believes the summer school will be successful.

He said: 鈥淚鈥檝e been going round the schools in the Weston area, about the academy in general and the summer school, we鈥檙e getting a positive response so far.鈥�

The course will be one week long, and at the end of each week, the academy will organise for these new bands, to perform at a local venue in Weston.

Apart from the summer school, there鈥檚 also the chance for local bands, if they鈥檙e aged between 11 and 16, to make use of free rehearsal space at the academy building on the Bridge Road Business Park.