Free music taster sessions will be taking place in Bury this weekend for new or returning musicians to test or learn new skills.

Following the pandemic, charity Music for All is encouraging anyone who picked up an instrument during lockdown to come along to their free taster sessions.

The "Learn to Play 22" event will be held at Bury Music Service at The Rock on Saturday, October 8 and Sunday, October 9, which have to be booked in advance.

Tony Followell, Music for All’s chair of trustees, said: “The past two years have been difficult for many people, but it has revealed how important music is to all our lives and how it can comfort and bring people together even in the most difficult of circumstances.

“Many of the people who took up an instrument for the first time during lockdown would not have had the opportunity to have had a physical lesson.

“Through the ‘Learn to Play’ event we aim to inspire and help as many people as possible understand the unique joys and benefits of learning to play an instrument which could turn into a lifetime of enjoyment or even a new career.

"I encourage those who picked up an instrument during lockdown to come along to the event and experience a lesson for free.”

As many face financial hardship, one Learn to Play participant, Jonathan Vipod, explained why he thinks it is so important to get involved.

He said: “I signed up to Learn To Play again as it presented another fantastic opportunity to get involved in a national event promoting and encouraging grassroots music tuition.

“In the current times we are in facing financial hardship, it’s important to show people why face-to-face music tuition is still the best way to learn music and by giving people a taster for free.

“People should come along to a Learn To Play event because they’ll have a great time trying a new skill, they may find that they love it and want to continue and as it’s free they have nothing to lose!”

Held in venues across the UK, "Learn to Play" aims to open opportunities up to anyone wanting to pick up an instrument for the first time or return to making music.

TV music presenter Jools Holland OBE, patron of Music for All said: “Making music is very important to me. It’s my work, my pleasure, my friend, companion and therapist.

“The charity Music for All believes passionately in the unique power of music to change lives and that is why it runs Learn to Play.

"If you’re a budding or lapsed musician, come along to the event for a two-day celebration of music making.”

With the recent government announcement that they will be making it their mission to "level up" musical education opportunities for young people across the country by 2030, Sonali Banerjee, Music for All’s general manager, spoke about music in education.

She said: “Access to music education has steadily been on the decrease with reductions seen in government and community funding over the years, therefore the government's ‘the power of music to change lives’ plan announcement is a positive step for music education.

“Excellent music education opens opportunities and gives children and young people an opportunity to express themselves, to explore their creativity, to work hard at something, persevere and shine.

“These experiences and achievements stay with them and shape their lives. That is why music should be an essential part of the curriculum for all pupils and must not be reserved for the privileged.

“At Music for All we make it our mission to support young people and disadvantaged music makers with limited financial resources to access music making, and the ‘Learn to Play’ event is an important and fundamental part of this work.”

Those interested in taking part in the "Learn to Play 22" event and experiencing a free music lesson can click here.

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