Information

This page gives the following detailed information about SaMS:

Where we meet
Dates of our meetings and concerts
How to join SaMS
Voluntary helpers
SaMS Committee
Financial support

There are details of our workshops and lessons and the SaMS staff on other pages. All this information is in the SaMS information sheet which you can download from here. You may also be interested in the SaMS leaflet.

Where we meet

SaMS meets at the Ariel Centre, the arts centre of King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) in Totnes, Devon. The Ariel Centre is in the KEVICC main school site on the west side of Ashburton Road (the left side coming out of Totnes). There is ample parking. Here is a map showing you how to find us.

If you are new to SaMS please come to the reception desk in the Ariel Centre foyer, sign-posted from the car park. A helper on the reception desk will answer your query or direct you to the room you need.

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Dates of our meetings and concerts

Weekly meetings

SaMS meets every Saturday morning during term time from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

The dates of our meetings this year are:

Concerts

The last meeting of each term is followed by a concert. All the SaMS young musicians perform for the benefit of parents, relatives, friends and anyone else who is interested. This is your chance to see what the students have learned so please come along and enjoy the music.

Concerts start at 1.00pm and finish at about 2.30pm. The dates of our concerts this year are as follows; please make a note in your diary now.

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How to join SaMS

Decide which workshops and/or lessons you want to do. You can do this in advance or come along and decide when you get here. If you are unsure please talk to us; we can suggest what is suitable for you.

Registration

Before you begin you will need to complete a registration form. You can download it from here or fill one in at the reception desk. It must be signed by a parent or guardian (unless the student is 18).

It is important that you do this before joining a workshop or lesson. The form contains essential contact information which we must have in an emergency. It is also includes our conditions for accepting students and it is important that you have read and understood these before signing the agreement.

Subscriptions

For students who take part in SaMS workshops you will need to pay an annual subscription, at the same time as you register. This is £55 for the first child in each family plus £20 for each additional child from the same family. This covers the whole year from September to July. You do not need to pay a subscription for students who only have lessons and do not attend any workshops.

Gift Aid

SaMS is a registered charity and can reclaim income tax on your subscriptions. If you are a taxpayer, please ensure you complete the Gift Aid declaration on the registration form. This will allow us to reclaim tax at no cost to you.

Tuition costs

Instrumental lessons are charged at £27 an hour, pro rata. They should be arranged directly with the tutor who will agree the time, duration and sharing arrangements with you. Please contact us if you need any assistance with arranging lessons.

Bursaries are available for those on low incomes; please contact us for details. Tutors will invoice you directly for instrumental tuition.

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Voluntary helpers

SaMS relies on voluntary helpers to man the reception desk, answer enquiries, run the tuck shop, organise concerts, act as stewards and provide admin support. We are particularly grateful to Rachel Lester who mans the reception desk and runs the tuck shop each Saturday morning.

If you would like to help please contact us. You could help on Saturday mornings (it doesn't have to be every week or all morning), or you could help at concerts, or provide admin support in your own time.

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SaMS Committee

The policies and activities of SaMS are guided by the SaMS Committee.The members include representatives of KEVICC music department, students, parents and tutors. They meet regularly to review progress, provide guidance and plan for the future.

The members of the SaMS Committee are:

The SaMS Annual General Meeting is open to all students, parents, helpers and staff. Here are the minutes of our last AGM on 30th January 2010.

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Financial support

SaMS was started in November 2000 with funding from Youth Music and King Edward VI Community College Foundation Governors. We are funded from year to year by KEVICC as part of their Performing Arts Specialist status.

SaMS is a registered charity, number 1121759.

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