An Eccles music school is planning a Christmas extravaganza after its initial live stream gigs exceeded their expectations.
The Music Shed on Wellington Road has had to cancel it’s annual summer and winter concerts due to Covid-19.
Now they are planning a virtual Christmas concert online.
Co-founder, Dawn Luvin, said: “We are really, really excited and I think it’s going to be one of the best projects we’ve ever worked on because we are going to have to be super creative.
“It’s going to be a logistic nightmare but it will be a challenge but an awful lot of fun.
“We are trying to keep spirits up and the festive spirit there.”
The Music Shed, reopened their doors on June 1, after continuing lessons online during the lockdown.
Throughout October the organisation has been staging Rocktober!, a series of online gigs featuring talent from the students and teachers.
“What we are doing is every week we are putting on Friday night gigs, last week our teachers performed,” Dawn said.
“The concert was brilliant! I was really proud of it and it was fun.
“Next week we have the 7-10-year-old band playing.
“Were trying to keep the momentum going and spirits up.”
Today is the day!
The Show Must Go On!
7.30pm tonight, tune in to our FB page to the start of our Rocktober music festival. A celebration of bands here at the school.
A live 1 hr gig straight to your home from The Mercury Room here at The Shed!
See you online at 7.30pm! pic.twitter.com/f7eWZK7YWG
— The Music Shed (@MusicShedMcr) October 9, 2020
Dawn was delighted by the feedback and was pleasantly surprised by the number of views.
“We had a message from a parent saying it was having a big boost on their child’s mental health which is a really positive thing that we’re doing.
“We made the school in Eccles because we felt that there was something missing, a musical community, the welcome we’ve had and the reaction has been fantastic.”
Co-founder and teacher of guitar, ukulele, double and electric bass, David Luvin, said parents appreciated the routine for their children and he is glad to be back teaching in person.
“Running the classes was tricky but most people went online which worked, the online streaming gigs I thought they were a real success and kept the community within going,” he said.
Dawn agrees: “We did hear a lot from parents and adult students that it was keeping them some normality and routine for them because of the uncertainty.
“What we started doing as well in this time was thinking about the mental health and wellbeing of our students because everybody was unsure of what was going to happen.”
The school was founded three years ago and co-founders, David and Dawn say they have had to adjust to the Covid guidelines.
“We have a thorough wipe down after every session, every teacher has a sneeze screen between them and the student, as well as wearing a visor,” says Dawn.
“We ask people to wear masks and have a maximum capacity of six people in the waiting room.
“The lessons can go on, but it’s not perfect because there is a barrier between the teacher and the student but the thing that has moved me most is the parents have been completely on board with everything.
“For their children to carry on learning it is the safest way and allows us to stay open and to carry on business.
“We’re working incredibly hard as a lot of small business and we want to sustain what we have got.”
Dawn, added: “It is a very scary time at the minute but we have a great family at the school and nearly all of our students have returned.
“The uncertainty is the worst part, but the more time and the more we invest in our students I hope the school and the community come out stronger from this.”
The Music Shed offers lessons for all abilities and age ranges from five years old to 75 years old.
Mature student John Bilsborough, started lesson this February on acoustic guitar, he said: “I’m not quite at the stage of participating in the concert but I watched it and it was great, really really good.
“I thought online lessons were really good too, it doesn’t beat coming in person but through lockdown, it worked.
“I think they’ve done a really good job with the screens and they’ve made the lessons as safe as possible.”
Follow The Music Shed online for more details on their upcoming events and Christmas show.
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