The DaCapo Music Foundation
The DaCapo Music Foundation is a UK-registered music education charity, founded in 1991, that delivers Kodály and Eurhythmics-based music education through a Saturday Centre, 11 primary school partnerships, online classroom resources, and teacher training programmes across North London.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersBorehamwood, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The DaCapo Music Foundation does
The DaCapo Music Foundation is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1136051) founded in 1991 by Jane Cutler and Michelle Groves that delivers music education grounded in Kodály and Eurhythmics (Dalcroze) methodology. Its core product is the Saturday Centre at Wren Academy in North London, which serves approximately 150 children and adults weekly through ensemble classes, musicianship training, individual instrumental lessons, and cafe concerts, with free taster sessions driving acquisition. Complementing the Saturday Centre, DaCapo delivers classroom music and instrumental lessons directly inside 11 primary schools in North London under contracted partnership arrangements, reaching pupils during school hours.
Beyond direct delivery, the organisation operates a proprietary six-Tool-Box curriculum and a one-year teacher training placement programme that produces DaCapo-certified teachers, addressing a chronic music teacher quality gap in UK primary schools. DaCapo Online (DaCapo Primary Music) is a subscription whiteboard platform launched in September 2022 at £50 per class per year, enabling class teachers without music backgrounds to deliver lessons alongside pupils. The charity also runs Dovetail DaCapo (free music-making for asylum seekers and refugees in Barnet), the Attacca orchestra programme for under-served school children, and short INSET/CPD courses.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: recurring programme fees from Saturday Centre families, subscription revenue from DaCapo Online, contracted fees from primary school partnerships, professional services revenue from teacher training and CPD, and donations plus grants supporting bursaries. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees and operates with approximately 16 core musicians and 11 additional Saturday musicians plus administrative staff.
The DaCapo Music Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The DaCapo Music Foundation
- Legal name
- The DaCapo Music Foundation
- Website
- https://dacapo.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The DaCapo Music Foundation is a UK-registered music education charity, founded in 1991, that delivers Kodály and Eurhythmics-based music education through a Saturday Centre, 11 primary school partnerships, online classroom resources, and teacher training programmes across North London.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The DaCapo Music Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Education Services
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD), Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms (EDAMANAI), Music Theory, Ear Training & Musicianship (EDAMANAF)
Keywords
Where The DaCapo Music Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Borehamwood
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The DaCapo Music Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Programme Fees: Fees charged for Saturday Centre music lessons and programmes for children and adults
- School Partnership Contracts: Providing classroom music and instrumental lessons in 11 primary schools in North London through contracted partnerships
- Teacher Training Courses: Revenue from one-year placement training programmes and INSET/CPD training courses for musicians and class teachers
- Donations and Bursaries: Charitable donations supporting bursaries for children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and free music-making for asylum seekers and refugees
- DaCapo Online Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to DaCapo Primary Music whiteboard technology for classroom music delivery
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | DaCapo Online Primary Music Subscription |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Teacher Training Bursary |
| Subscription | Monthly | Saturday Centre Programme |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
The DaCapo Music Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The DaCapo Music Foundation is a UK-registered music education charity (Charity Number 1136051) that delivers Kodály- and Eurhythmics-based music education through three primary channels: a Saturday Centre for individual children at Wren Academy, classroom music partnerships with 11 primary schools across North London, and a subscription-based online platform called DaCapo Primary Music. The foundation also runs teacher training courses, a bursary programme, and the Dovetail DaCapo initiative for asylum seekers and refugees.
Product overview
DaCapo Music Foundation offers a unified music education ecosystem comprising the Saturday Centre as its core programme for learners of all ages, supplemented by Classroom Music for primary schools, Instrumental Lessons in Schools, and comprehensive Teacher Training. The DaCapo Primary Music subscription service provides online whiteboard technology for classroom delivery. Additional offerings include Dovetail DaCapo for asylum seekers and refugees, and INSET/CPD Training courses. All programmes are grounded in Kodály and Eurythmics principles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dovetail DaCapo: Free weekly music-making sessions for asylum seekers and refugees in Barnet, providing a welcoming and inclusive environment.
- Attacca
Products and services
- DaCapo Saturday Centre Weekly Saturday music classes for primary-school-aged children held at Wren Academy, delivering Kodály- and Eurhythmics-based musicianship training through the foundation's six Tool-Box curriculum. Designed for individual children and families in North London.
- School Partnership Programme (Classroom Music)
- DaCapo Primary Music (Online Platform)
- DaCapo Teacher Training
- Dovetail DaCapo Community Programme
- DaCapo Music Shop
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10,000 pupils taught over 30+ years
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The DaCapo Music Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The DaCapo Music Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The DaCapo Music Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Young People's Puppet TheatrecoreCollaboration to launch the Afternoon of Music and Puppets (AMP) - a Saturday afternoon programme combining music and puppetry. Includes family workshops, a summer school, and a final performance with professional musicians. Funded by Lottery Community Fund with approximately £10,000 grant.
- The Yehudi Menuhin SchoolflagshipDaCapo appointed as consultants for Yehudi Menuhin School's early years programme launching in the next academic year. Headmaster Ben Gudka commented: 'We are thrilled to be working with DaCapo on this project and feel that we have found the perfect partner to help us develop a world-class offering.' Awarded just under £10,000 by the Lottery Community Fund to realise this programme.
- Wren AcademycoreWren Academy is the host venue for DaCapo's Saturday Centre and is a key partner for instrumental lessons. The partnership is fundamental to DaCapo's operations as it provides the physical location for weekly Saturday sessions serving approximately 150 students.
- Fantasia OrchestraminorListed as a partner on the DaCapo website. The partnership may involve collaborative concerts or performance opportunities for DaCapo students.
- Proms at St. Jude'sminorListed as a partner on the DaCapo website. May provide performance venues or collaborative music projects.
- Dovetail DaCapocorePartnership providing free weekly music-making sessions for asylum seekers and refugees in Barnet. Co-creates music bringing together musical ideas, memories and sounds from participants' homelands, building towards high-standard concerts. Light refreshments and informal conversation spaces provided.
- Trinity College of MusicminorListed among 9 organisations partnered with DaCapo for creative partnerships including Trinity College of Music, Aurora Orchestra, and Learning Horizon.
- Aurora OrchestraminorListed among 9 organisations partnered with DaCapo for creative partnerships.
- Learning HorizonminorListed among 9 organisations partnered with DaCapo for creative partnerships.
- London Borough of CamdenminorListed among partnered organisations including Coram Fields and other creative partnerships.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The DaCapo Music Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Youth Music: UK charity funding music-making projects for children and young people facing barriers to access. Comparable in mission (inclusive music education) and grant-making role, although it operates primarily as a funder rather than a direct delivery organisation like DaCapo.
- Music Mark: UK subject association for music education, representing music education hubs, schools, and organisations. Not a direct service provider but a relevant comparable for understanding the broader UK music education ecosystem in which DaCapo operates.
- ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music): UK-based music examination board and music education resource provider. Operates in adjacent music education infrastructure (grading, teacher development, digital resources), though DaCapo differentiates by explicitly avoiding exam-driven pedagogy.
Direct peers
- Sing Up: UK charity providing singing and music education resources to primary schools, with a strong online resource library. Comparable to DaCapo in the primary-school music education segment, particularly relevant as a competitor to DaCapo Online.
- London Music Masters: UK charity providing high-quality music education to children in primary schools and nurseries across London. Directly comparable to DaCapo's school partnership model and Saturday/weekend enrichment delivery, with similar focus on access for disadvantaged pupils.
- The Voices Foundation: UK charity promoting Kodály-inspired singing-based music education in primary schools. Closest methodological peer to DaCapo, with overlapping Kodály heritage, primary school focus, and teacher training programmes.
- Sistema England: UK charity delivering inclusive, ensemble-based music education to children in under-served communities. Highly comparable to DaCapo in its child-centred, ensemble-focused, charity-run model, although Sistema focuses on social impact via orchestral programmes rather than classroom delivery.
Emerging players
- In Harmony: UK government-supported programme using ensemble music-making to support children in deprived communities. Comparable in ensemble-based, inclusive music education approach, though with a more narrowly focused social-impact mandate than DaCapo.
- Charanga: Commercial UK digital music education platform providing primary school resources. Comparable to DaCapo Online as a digital resource competing for school subscription budgets, with a more commercial go-to-market and broader content library.
Regional players
- Music Generation (Ireland): Ireland's national music education programme providing access to performance music education for children and young people. Operates a similar public-private partnership model with broad geographic reach across Ireland; comparable in mission and structure though not UK-based.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The DaCapo Music Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe DaCapo Music Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The DaCapo Music Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
The DaCapo Music Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The DaCapo Music Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The DaCapo Music Foundation
What does The DaCapo Music Foundation do?
The DaCapo Music Foundation is a UK-registered music education charity (Charity Number 1136051) that delivers Kodály- and Eurhythmics-based music education through three primary channels: a Saturday Centre for individual children at Wren Academy, classroom music partnerships with 11 primary schools across North London, and a subscription-based online platform called DaCapo Primary Music. The foundation also runs teacher training courses, a bursary programme, and the Dovetail DaCapo initiative for asylum seekers and refugees.
Is The DaCapo Music Foundation a public or private company?
The DaCapo Music Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The DaCapo Music Foundation founded?
The DaCapo Music Foundation was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The DaCapo Music Foundation based?
The DaCapo Music Foundation is headquartered in Borehamwood, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The DaCapo Music Foundation make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Programme Fees are the primary driver. The others are school Partnership Contracts, teacher Training Courses, donations and Bursaries and daCapo Online Subscriptions.
Who are The DaCapo Music Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Youth Music, Music Mark and ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music). Direct peers are Sing Up, London Music Masters, The Voices Foundation and Sistema England. Emerging players are In Harmony and Charanga. Music Generation (Ireland) is listed as a regional player.
Does The DaCapo Music Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The DaCapo Music Foundation.
What industry is The DaCapo Music Foundation in?
The DaCapo Music Foundation's product category is Music Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir), with a secondary code of EDAMANAD, Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.