New project is music to our ears

Dec 4 2007 Alison Anderson

UP-AND-COMING musicians met past chart-toppers to hear about exciting plans to create a rehearsal space in Perth and Kinross through the UK-wide Live Music Forum.

The project is being driven by Feargal Sharkey, former Undertones singer who went on to enjoy a successful solo career and who now chairs the UK Live Music Forum.

It also involves a partnership with Perth and Kinross Council, the Scottish Arts Council and the UK Music Industry.

Two pilot schemes south of the border are proving a huge success, and Perth and Kinross is just one of two places in Scotland where young people will be able to improve their playing skills, rehearse, socialise, network and source help and information.

The location for the rehearsal space has still to be finalised, and could be in a form of a mobile facility which would give young musicians from rural areas equal shares of the facility with their counterparts from the city.

Welcoming Feargal to Perth Concert Hall, the venue for the launch of the initiative, Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart, former keyboard player with Runrig, said: “I am delighted that Perth and Kinross was selected to host this fantastic initiative to provide rehearsal space and music tuition to young people.

“The concept is to not only nurture the talents of young musicians, but to create an important hub and meeting place for like-minded young people to meet and network.

“I hope that the Perth and Kinross project is a massive success and our young people are able to enjoy a fantastic experience.”

Feargal told the PA: “We all want to make this happen, and it could be up and running within the next six months. This will be a great facility and something I would have killed for when I was a young musician just starting out.

“The contribution that music makes to our lives is phenomenal and should never be under-estimated. It tickles me pink that some young person standing in a room in Perth making music now will make an important contribution to our lives in the future.

“It comes down to us making sure those young people are given as much support as we can.

“At the pilot project in Stockton over 1000 kids have used the facility. The majority will never go on to be first-class musicians but I hope it will benefit in other ways.

“This is about doing something very positive in a safe and secure environment.”

David McDonald, the Scottish Arts Council’s youth music manager, echoed Feargal’s comments: “Thousands of kids are out there playing music, mainly in an unsupervised way, and we are looking at ways we can link them in with the music industry, perhaps through a monitoring scheme with professionals.”

The other initiative venue in Scotland will be in Paisley.