Rylstone Chalet, Popham Road, Shanklin, PO37 6RG

Registered Charity Number: 1134447

As part of its commitment to musical education Shanklin Town Brass Band run a dedicated Brass Academy on Saturday Mornings in term time. The principle behind the Brass Academy is to make musical education, particularly the playing of brass instruments which are notoriously expensive, accessible to as many young people as possible.

Many of the learners receive an instrument on free loan from the Band, and lessons themselves are £1 a week.

Here children and adult learners are taught from scratch how to play a brass instrument, or percussion.  They are taught by one of two experienced musicians and entered for The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examinations.  Practical musicianship is taught to Grade VIII, and Musical theory to Grade V.  Recent exam successes can be seen in the Results and Statistics section.

Recently, we have had one of our pupils started studying for Dip ABRSM, which is a diploma in music.

Additionally the Brass Academy also runs an annual Solo Competition (which sometimes includes a class for quartets!), where children as young as six can test their abilities against their friends.