About us

Whitby Music Centre

Whitby Music Centre brings together musicians of all ages and abilities under one roof and we offer a warm Yorkshire welcome to new members of our ensembles and audiences.  We know how to work hard and play hard so that members have a good time whilst developing their skills and learning how to play together to a high standard.

We have lots of common ground as people learning to play an instrument individually and as part of an ensemble but we are also proud of being a diverse group where everyone feels at home.

Let us introduce ourselves

About Whitby Music Centre

Whitby Music Centre began in 2007 and now hosts the six ensembles listed below that cater for all musical tastes and abilities.  We rehearse at Whitby Lower School site, Airy Hill on term-time Saturdays from 9.30am until 12.30pm and perform in regular concerts and festivals in the area.  Our new Pop Choir rehearse at the same site on Monday evenings from 6.30pm until 7.45pm.

We believe that music is for everybody and welcome children and adults of all standards (including beginners) to join either one or two of our ensembles on Saturday mornings.

Whitby Music Centre is one of six regional Music Centres run by North Yorkshire County Music Service offering musical opportunities for young musicians from complete beginners through to those more advanced, please click here for more information.

Whitby Music Centre

Friends’ Association

Whitby Music Centre Friends’ Association supports our activities and is a vital part of our community.  This voluntary group, mostly made up of parents and adult members of our ensembles, welcomes new members and would love to hear from you if you can offer to help.  Please speak to Richard Wood on Saturday mornings or get in touch via this website or our Facebook page if you want to find out more, get involved or have new ideas for supporting us.

The Friends’ Association run different fundraising initiatives that support the work of the Centre in various ways including purchasing instruments, other equipment and new music and they help provide refreshments and other support for concerts.

Our Ensembles

Saturday Morning
9.30am-10.45am

Esk Valley Concert Band (EVCB)

This ensemble features a wide range of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments and often has 50 players who need to be working at around Associated Board Grade 4 standard or above.  Its repertoire includes many different styes of music including jazz, rock, pop, film, folk and classical.  The EVCB give several concerts each year, mostly in and around Whitby though occasionally further afield.

Saturday Morning
11am-12.15pm

Esk Valley Big Band (EVBB)

The Big Band has a full complement of trumpets, trombones and saxophones supported by a strong rhythm section.  It welcomes players who are at Associated Board Grade 4 standard and above.  It performs big band repertoire from forties’ music  through to contemporary pieces.  Since 2007, the EVBB has been a popular feature at many events around the town and keeps a busy diary of bookings. 

Saturday Morning
11am-12.15pm

Whitby Area Concert Band (WACB)

This is our Junior Band, a great place for those who are in the early stages of learning an instrument to gain valuable experience and develop their skills alongside other players.  Woodwind and brass players at Associated Board Grade 1-3 standard are welcome to come along and learn a range of music including jazz, rock, pop, film, folk and classical.  The WACB usually perform twice a term in and around Whitby.

Saturday Morning
11am-12.15pm

Whitby Music Centre String Ensemble

This ensemble offers string players the opportunity to play together with beginner players learning and gaining inspiration from more advanced members of the ensemble.  If you play violin, viola, cello or double bass, this is the group for you and it provides tuition in orchestral skills and string techniques as well as rehearsing for concerts.  The Whitby Music Centre String Ensemble explores a wide range of music, some composed especially for string orchestras and some arranged for this group.  It performs regularly throughout the year.

Saturday Morning
9.30am-10.45am

Whitby Trainers

This group gives woodwind and brass players who are right at the start of their journey the opportunity to get together and have some fun learning alongside each other.  As soon as a player can produce a reliable sound over at least five notes, they are welcome to join this group and our staff will ensure that everyone has something that they are able to play.

Monday Evenings
6.30pm-7.45pm

Whitby Pop Choir

Our pop choir rehearses on Monday evenings and welcomes children, young people and adults to discover and enjoy the musical, personal and social benefits of choral singing.  Studies consistently show that singing in a choir boosts a person’s mental and physical health just as most musical activity helps to raise the IQ.  What’s to lose?
The pop choir draws its repertoire from rock, pop and musicals so there will be plenty of tunes you will know.  It is a new venture for Whitby Music Centre and we have ambitious plans to develop the current choir into two different choirs depending on age and/or experience as the membership grows.