GLOUCESTERSHIRE ACADEMY OF MUSIC LIMITED

What GLOUCESTERSHIRE ACADEMY OF MUSIC LIMITED does

Gloucestershire Academy of Music Limited (GAM) is a registered charity (Charity No. 1085708) founded in 1981 as Beauchamp Music Group and renamed in 1991. It delivers community music education to over 2,000 participants annually across Gloucestershire and the South West of England, serving pre-school children through adults and including a dementia-care program. GAM operates from Barbican House in Gloucester — a venue it acquired via a £500,000 capital appeal (£433,000 raised) — with satellite sessions at Dean Close School in Cheltenham and residential courses at Malvern College and Deanfield Outdoor Centre. The organization is a key strategic partner in GSW Music Hub, the county's official music education hub.

GAM's product portfolio is organized into four pillars: junior programs (Scutterbugs, Singing and Rhythm, String Starters, String Orchestras, Theory, Kingsley Brass), senior programs (Chamber Music Academy, Inspire Orchestra, ChorusLine!), adult programs (Sinfonia community orchestra, Gamelan ensemble, Adult Early Music Course, Gloucester Dementia Choir), and holiday courses (The Big String, The Big Blast, Junior Easter, Summer Residential, Piano Summer, Grade 5 Theory). The organization also delivers in-school programs, hosts ABRSM and Trinity exam centres, runs its own GAM junior string exam syllabus, and operates the annual Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year competition. New initiatives include the Barbican Artists pop-up performance program launched March 2026.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: recurring tuition subscriptions priced £70-£95 per 10-week term, holiday course fees ranging £210-£879, Barbican House space hire at £10-£100 per session, and a substantial donations/grant funding stream from Arts Council England, Garfield Weston Foundation, Architectural Heritage Fund, Foyle Foundation, Radcliffe Trust, and Gloucestershire Community Foundation. Operations are supported by standard third-party SaaS platforms (Paritor for enrollment, Mailchimp for email, WordPress CMS) with no proprietary technology. The organization is governed by a board of trustees chaired by Charles Woodd, with day-to-day leadership provided by Principal/Artistic Director Glyn Oxley, Operations Director Sue Bain, and Executive Director Richard Ashton-Phillips.

Name

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ACADEMY OF MUSIC LIMITED

Legal name

Gloucestershire Academy of Music Limited

Website

https://glosacadmusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gloucestershire Academy of Music is a registered charity delivering community music education to 2,000+ participants annually across Gloucestershire, offering tuition, ensembles, holiday courses, and wellness programs for all ages from its owned Barbican House headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music Exam Prep & Certification (ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, AP Music Theory) (EDAMANAJ), Private Music Lessons (Instrumental) (EDAMANAA), Performing Arts & Music Lessons (Dance, Drumming, Instrument Lessons, Theater) (THAJAKAC)

Keywords

• Music education services
• Individual music tuition
• Youth orchestra programs
• Community music charity
• Holiday music courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition fees: Weekly group music lessons and individual tuition for children and adults across multiple locations. Fees vary by session type and duration.
2. Space hire: Hall, recital room, and practice room rental at Barbican House to external groups and individuals for cultural activities.
3. Holiday courses: Residential and day courses during school holidays including orchestral projects, piano courses, theory courses, and summer residential programs.
4. Donations and fundraising: Charitable donations, corporate support, trust and foundation grants supporting bursary fund and building purchase appeal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gloucestershire Academy of Music is a registered music education charity delivering group classes, ensembles, individual instrument and vocal tuition, holiday courses, and exam preparation for children, young people, adults and people with dementia across Gloucestershire. It operates from its owned Barbican House venue in Gloucester, with additional delivery at partner schools in Cheltenham and at residential venues for holiday courses. The organization supplements tuition fees with charitable donations, bursary support and grants from Arts Council England and other foundations.

Product overview

Gloucestershire Academy of Music (GAM) is a music education charity founded in 1981, offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs for all ages and abilities. The organization operates primarily from Barbican House in Gloucester and offers individual lessons alongside diverse group programs. Junior programs include Scutterbugs (pre-school music), Singing and Rhythm sessions, String Starters/Ensemble, String Orchestras and Chamber, Associated Board Theory, and Kingsley Brass (free youth brass band). Senior programs feature Chamber Music Academy, Inspire Orchestra (Grade 8+), and ChorusLine! singing group. Adult offerings include Sinfonia community orchestra, Gamelan for Adults, Adult Early Music Course, and Gloucester Dementia Choir. Holiday courses encompass The Big String, The Big Blast, Junior Easter Course, Summer Residential, Piano Summer Course, and Grade 5 Theory Course. GAM also hosts individual lessons across all instruments and voice, administers GAM Exams alongside ABRSM and Trinity exams, and organizes the annual Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year competition. New initiatives include Barbican Artists (pop-up performances launched March 2026). The organization reaches over 2,000 participants annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scutterbugs
• Infant and Junior Singing and Rhythm Sessions
• String Starters and String Ensemble
• String Orchestras and Chamber
• Associated Board Theory Sessions
• Kingsley Brass
• Chamber Music Academy
• Inspire Orchestra
• ChorusLine!
• Sinfonia
• Gamelan for Adults
• Adult Early Music Course
• Gloucester Dementia Choir
• The Big String
• The Big Blast
• Junior Easter Course
• Summer Holiday Residential Courses
• Piano Summer Course
• Grade 5 Theory Course
• Individual Lessons
• GAM Exams
• Barbican Artists
• Barbican House Venue Hire
• Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year

Quantifiable outcome

• Over the last 12 months, bursary fund enabled 40 students aged 5-18 to access music tuition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GSW Music HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey strategic partner in GSW Music Hub, Gloucestershire's county music hub. GAM is part of Make Music Gloucestershire initiative. Hub subsidises Chamber Music Academy and provides bursary funding.
• Cheltenham FestivalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular partnership for performances, masterclasses, and festival programming including Chamber Music Academy performances at Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts.
• Carducci QuartetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Chamber Music Academy performances including concerts at Pitville Pump Room and Cheltenham Town Hall.
• Longborough Festival of OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership for music education and performance opportunities.
• The Three Choirs FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerformance opportunities for advanced students at the annual Three Choirs Festival.
• Dean Close SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partnership for Saturday afternoon sessions in Cheltenham. Provides space for string orchestras, singing groups, and chamber music.
• Flowers BandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrass band based at Barbican House. Supports youth development through Kingsley Brass sessions, Big Blast tutoring, and mentorship. Band achieved National Champions 2024.
• LAMDA Speech and DramaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHelen Di Tomaso provides LAMDA tuition at Barbican House including acting, verse and prose, Shakespeare, public speaking, and musical theatre.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wells Cathedral School: Specialist music school in Somerset offering pre-18 education with strong instrumental tuition and Saturday/junior programmes. Comparable as a higher-tier music education provider in the South West producing conservatoire-bound students, but with a full-time school model rather than GAM's part-time/holiday focus.
• Junior Guildhall: Saturday programme for 4–18 year olds run by Guildhall School of Music & Drama, with ensembles, individual lessons, and theory. Directly comparable in junior orchestral, chamber, and theory exam-prep provision, and links to a top conservatoire (Guildhall) — a natural benchmark for GAM's Chamber Music Academy outcomes.
• Chetham's School of Music: Manchester-based specialist music school with Saturday Music Centre and junior programmes serving the North West. Comparable as a conservatoire-feed music school with strong outreach and ensemble activity, though operates full-time rather than part-time.

Direct peers

• Jackdaws Music Education Trust: Charity in Somerset running weekend and summer music courses plus instrumental tuition for children and adults. Directly comparable to GAM as a regional UK music education charity combining individual lessons, ensemble activity, and holiday courses.
• Dartington International Summer School: Annual international summer school in Devon offering orchestral, chamber, and vocal courses for adult amateur and advanced musicians. Comparable in holiday-course format, ensemble focus, and adult learner segment to GAM's Adult Early Music Course and summer residential programme.
• Benslow Music Trust: UK registered charity in Hitchin offering instrumental and vocal short courses, holiday programmes, and ensemble tuition for adult amateurs. Closely comparable to GAM's mix of group classes, ensembles, and residential/non-residential short courses with similar age profile and tuition model.

Others

• Making Music (UK): UK membership body supporting amateur music groups including choirs, orchestras, and ensembles. Comparable as adjacent infrastructure in the UK amateur/community music ecosystem in which GAM's Sinfonia, Gamelan, and Dementia Choir operate.
• Live Music Now: UK charity delivering live music performances in care homes, hospitals, and community settings, including dementia-specific programmes. Comparable to GAM's Gloucester Dementia Choir and Barbican Artists initiative as a community-music charity working in health and public settings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gloucestershire-academy-of-music-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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