Star studded concert to launch St Columb’s School of Music

St. Columb’s School of Music, which was founded by Louis Fields and Nicky Morton, has grown rapidly and now delivers lessons to over 200 pupils.

It was set up when Louis and Nicky were studying for their masters degree in music at Magee.

“We were teaching privately and building up a client base,” Nicky explained. “We are primarily teachers of organ and piano and people started asking about tutoring for other instruments. St Columb’s Cathedral noticed our rapid growth and offered us the use of one of their properties.

“We just thought, what a great idea to reach out to the community and make music available to everyone if we can.”

Louis said that they are ‘overwhelmed’ with how quickly it has all taken off.

“We have over 200 pupils and 12 tutors in a range of instruments and we are looking to continue to build and grow.

“We have waiting lists for some of our instruments,” Louis said. “I think we are a new, fresh approach, exactly what the city needed, and we have been brought up through music.”

The music school is very much part of the community, with Louis and Nicky tutoring in local schools and accompanying a number of school choirs. “It is cross-community and we like to think we are bringing people together through music,” NIcky said.

The launch event is a showcase of the musical talent of the city and performers at St Columb’s Cathedral will include The Priests, George Hutton and Ruth McGinley.

“A lot of our pupils are coming along on the night and it will give them great inspiration to see what they could become,” Nicky said.

“We are expecting a big turn out and we are really looking forward to it. Between the two concerts we will be showcasing the school and we hope it will encourage people to take up a musical instrument or try a new instrument.”

The venue of the concert, which begins at 7.30pm, is of particular importance to both Louis and Nicky. “We started our musical career there in the choir at six and we haven’t really left since, they can’t get rid of us!” Nicky said. “It is a special thing for us to have this event where it all began.”

Tickets are available at https://www.stcolumbsschoolofmusic.com/tickets or at St Columb’s School of Music and Badgers Bar.

Prior to this at 1pm tomorrow there will be a jazz concert with Scott Flanigan, Cathal Roche and the Foyle College Jazz band in the Cathedral.