Nottingham Music Service

What Nottingham Music Service does

Founded in 2002, Nottingham Music Service is an independent UK registered charity that provides music education primarily to children and young people aged 5-18 in Nottingham. Its core school offer is Year 4 Whole Class Ensemble Teaching, followed by small-group tuition and a progression system through Area Bands, specialist ensembles, and advanced orchestras such as RHYO InterConnect and Robin Hood Youth Orchestra. It also provides instrument hire, music technology, SEND/PRU/SEMH provision, Music Camp, public performances, and teacher development.

Delivery is supported by SpeedAdmin for enrollment, payments, scheduling, and family communications, and by MusiQuest, an online musical-adventure curriculum product. Specialist education is broadened through Education & Bass and Noise Academy, while Nottingham Schools Trust and the Lead Schools network support school-to-school coordination. The Inspire consortium extends service delivery into Nottinghamshire under the national music education plan.

The go-to-market model combines direct school relationships, direct family enrollment, Lead Schools peer distribution, and community events. Revenue combines government funding through Arts Council England, school programme fees, modest annual ensemble and instrument-hire charges, project grants, corporate sponsorship, monthly giving, and one-off donations. Pricing is deliberately subsidized: ensemble membership is £60 per year, falling to £21 for eligible concessions, while subsidized instrument hire is £15 per year, indicating a social-impact model rather than full-cost tuition pricing.

Name

Nottingham Music Service

Legal name

Nottingham Music Service

Website

https://nottinghammusichub.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nottingham Music Service is a registered charity delivering school-based and community music education to children and young people in Nottingham through whole-class teaching, ensembles, instrument hire, events, and digital programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (611710)

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), Private Music Lessons (Instrumental) (EDAMANAA), Instrument Rentals & Leasing (Band/Orchestra Programs) (CRALAEAG), Music Education & Practice Software (Ear training, tutors, metronome tools) (MPAIAIAJ)

Keywords

• Music education services
• Ensemble teaching programmes
• Instrument hire scheme
• Youth music ensembles
• Music hub programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ensemble Membership Fees: Annual fees charged to young people participating in music ensembles. Standard rate £60 per year, concessions £21 for those on free school meals.
2. Instrument Hire: Rental scheme for young people learning instruments. £12 per term or £30 per year for individuals; £6 per term or £15 per year for those on Free School Meals/Pupil Premium.
3. School Programme Fees: Schools are charged for Whole Class Ensemble Teaching, follow-on programmes, hourly-paid provision, and Music Camp at £45 per pupil.
4. Government Funding: Core funding from Department for Education via Arts Council England for delivering the national plan for music education as part of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Music Hub consortium.
5. Trust & Foundation Grants: Project-specific grants from Foyle Foundation (Music Camp), Backstage Trust (Great Orchestra Experiment), BBC Children in Need (Robin Hood Youth Orchestra), BNA Charitable Foundation, D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, and Forman Hardy Charitable Trust.
6. Corporate Sponsorship: Financial donations and in-kind support from corporate partners including Capital One UK, A.W. Lymn Family Funeral Service, and Browne Jacobson LLP.
7. Monthly Giving Programme: Bronze (£5/month), Silver (£10/month), Gold (£20/month) tiers plus custom amounts for sustainable recurring donations from community supporters.
8. One-off Donations: Individual donations via CAF Donate platform, legacy donations, and in memoriam contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nottingham Music Service delivers music education programmes to children and young people in Nottingham City, including Whole Class Ensemble Teaching in schools, a portfolio of progression ensembles (orchestras, bands, choirs, specialist groups), an instrument hire scheme, residential Music Camp, the MusiQuest online curriculum platform, and community concerts/events. Services are delivered directly in schools, at the Labes House venue, and through the SpeedAdmin online platform, with fees structured for both institutional school customers and individual family enrolments.

Product overview

Nottingham Music Service is a registered charity and award-winning music education service offering a comprehensive portfolio of music education programs and ensembles for children and young people in Nottingham City. The core offering consists of Whole Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET) in primary schools, followed by extensive ensemble options including Robin Hood Youth Orchestra (RHYO), RHYO InterConnect (training orchestra), Band Factory, Guitar Lab, Keys Club, Kit, The Collective, String Squad, and Voice Connect. Additional programs include the online MusiQuest musical adventure, Music Camp in the Peak District, termly Area Band Network, and Christmas in the City events. Partnerships with Education & Bass and Noise Academy extend music technology education. Administrative functions are managed through Speed Admin. The service also offers an instrument hire scheme and CPD/training for educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Robin Hood Youth Orchestra (RHYO): An exciting, evolving ensemble that plays diverse musical styles including classical, popular, folk, jazz, Bollywood and more. For 11-19 year olds who can play from grade 4 to diploma standard.
• RHYO InterConnect
• Band Factory
• Guitar Lab
• Keys Club
• Kit
• The Collective
• String Squad
• Voice Connect
• Area Bands
• MusiQuest

Products and services

• Robin Hood Youth Orchestra (RHYO) An advanced ensemble for 11-19 year olds in Nottingham City who can play instruments from around Grade 4 to diploma standard. Performs diverse musical styles including classical, popular, folk, jazz, and Bollywood.
• RHYO InterConnect A training orchestra for 9-14 year old pupils who play at around Grade 1-4 level, providing a progression pathway from Area Bands towards the Robin Hood Youth Orchestra.
• Band Factory An ensemble for young people wanting to learn or already playing keyboard, drums, guitar, bass, and singing. Offers primary sessions (8-11 years) and secondary sessions (11-15 years).
• Guitar Lab An ensemble for aspiring guitarists aged 9-14 with about a year's experience of playing acoustic or electric guitar at around Grade 1 level.
• Keys Club A keyboard/piano group for young musicians aged 9-18 with separate sessions for beginner and intermediate/advanced learners, covering notation reading, performance, theory, and composition.
• Kit A drumming group for young people aged 9-18 in Nottingham City with three skill-level sessions: Advanced, Intermediate, and Beginner.
• The Collective An ensemble for brass and woodwind players from Grade 1 level and for percussion players, focusing on jazz and salsa. Serves as the house band at the Young Creative Awards ceremony.
• String Squad A string ensemble for 9-14 year olds playing violin, viola, and/or cello from Grade 1 level, supporting progression from Area Bands to InterConnect.
• Voice Connect A vocal group for 13-18 year olds wanting to improve singing and harmonising skills in pop, R&B, soul, and electronic music.
• Music Camp A two-day residential music programme in the Peak District for Nottingham City pupils, designed to help pupils carry on to the next stage of their musical learning, building skills and confidence to continue making music. Priced at £45 per pupil and subsidised by the music hub.
• MusiQuest An immersive online musical adventure for children and young people aged 5-18 in which learners become heroes of sound, solve musical clues, and complete creative challenges using listening, performing, and composing skills. Differentiated content aligned with the KS1, LKS2 and UKS2 Model Music Curriculum to support curriculum music delivery.
• Whole Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET) A programme delivering one-hour weekly whole-class instrumental lessons to Year 4 pupils in Nottingham City primary schools, covering instrument care, technique, and musical skills aligned with the Model Music Curriculum. Schools receive a free class set of instruments as part of core provision.
• Area Band Network A collaborative initiative with Nottingham City primary schools giving pupils the chance to play in an ensemble and take part in live performances. From September 2026, a new termly area band format is introduced.
• Instrument Hire Scheme An instrument rental scheme for young people learning to play a musical instrument in Nottingham, covering strings, brass, and woodwind. Standard rate £12 per term or £30 per year; £6 per term or £15 per year for individuals on Free School Meals or Pupil Premium.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Nottingham Schools TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership focusing on improving education for children of Nottingham. Jointly delivers Music Network meetings and Lead Schools programme. Trust offers unique opportunity to bring together all types of schools for music education improvement.
• InspirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMS is part of a consortium with Inspire to deliver the plan for music education for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. This combined music hub is funded by Department for Education and administered by Arts Council England.
• ChalleNGe NottinghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMakes connections and nurtures collaborative working across arts and education sectors to ensure all children and young people engage with inspiring and accessible arts and cultural experiences. Co-created RSE Day song 'It Begins With Me'.
• Lakeside Arts (University of Nottingham)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Nottingham's public arts programme enriching lives of people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, including university staff and students.
• University of Nottingham Music DepartmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre for musical research and teaching, offering undergraduate and postgraduate training in music and music technology.
• Education and BasscoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of the largest online teaching platforms in music technology, led by industry professionals united by mission of providing education for all. Provides music technology CPD and programmes for secondary and SEND schools.
• Noise AcademycoreTechnology or IntegrationEmpowers young people through music technology and DJ skills, unlocking creativity and building confidence. Works with secondary and SEND schools as specialist partner.
• BeatFeetsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides energising drumming, dance and wellbeing workshops with expert workshop leaders and event facilitators.
• Circle of LightsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationYouth Music-funded project for 16-25 year olds with interest in music, promoting young people's music and wellbeing and making music industry more accessible and inclusive.
• Hustle CollectivesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily of experienced freelancers sharing ethos of creating positive change in Nottingham through music and art.
• UFO OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of skilled musicians with links to Nottingham dedicated to providing high quality performances and breaking down barriers between musical styles.
• MEHEM (Music Education Hubs East Midlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through which NMS offers Certificate for Music Educators (CME) programme. Also leads East Midlands UpRising programme supporting inclusive music education for children with SEND.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Inspire: Nottingham-based culture and learning charity that co-leads the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Music Hub with NMS. Directly comparable as a Music Education Hub partner delivering the National Plan for Music Education in the same geography.
• SoundStorm: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Music Education Hub offering whole-class teaching, ensembles, instrument hire and progression pathways. Operates under the same DfE/Arts Council England hub framework as NMS.
• Kent Music: Kent's Music Education Hub providing instrumental and vocal tuition, ensembles and music therapy in schools. Closely comparable county-scale music education service with school-based delivery and ensemble programmes.
• Hampshire Music Service: One of the largest UK Music Education Hubs delivering WCET, ensembles, instrument hire and CPD across Hampshire. Directly comparable service mix and funding model (local authority hub structure).
• Westminster Music Service: London borough music service delivering tuition, ensembles and instrument hire in schools under the national Music Education Hub structure. Comparable urban geography and school-partnership-led model.
• Education and Bass: Music technology education platform partnered with NMS to deliver DJ skills, music production and sound design in secondary and SEND schools. Directly comparable in music education delivery to Nottingham City pupils and an active technology partner of NMS.

Broad incumbents

• Youth Music: UK national charity funding music education projects for children and young people facing barriers. Comparable mission and beneficiary base; NMS receives Youth Music funding (Circle of Light project) and operates within Youth Music's national remit.
• Royal Academy of Music: UK conservatoire offering junior-level pre-college training. Comparable in delivering graded instrumental progression but operates at the top of the talent funnel rather than as an inclusive community music education provider.

Emerging players

• Rocksteady Music School: UK private in-school rock band tuition provider. Compares on school-based delivery and ensemble progression for primary-age children, but operates on a commercial parent-paid model rather than subsidised hub funding.

Others

• Arts Council England: National funder and administrator of the Music Education Hub programme through which NMS receives its core government funding. Relevant as the structural counterparty for hub funding decisions and policy direction.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NottMusicHub
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrRS4BDKoO_6cLXD-Qnhl0Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/NottMusicHub
• Instagraminstagram.com/NottMusicHub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nottinghammusichub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 →

Frequently asked questions about Nottingham Music Service