 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2025-06-26 23:42
https://www.change.org/p/save-the-newark-school-of-musical-instrument-crafts
Newark College's School of Musical Instrument Crafts in Lincolnshire, UK, is facing potential closure. The school, renowned for its BA (Hons) Musical Instrument Craft degrees in guitar, piano, violin, and woodwind making and repair, is facing suspension due to low application numbers and financial losses. The potential closure has sparked concern among students, alumni, and the wider music industry, as it would be the only UK institution offering a degree in stringed instrument making.
Newark College formerly offered BA (Hons) degrees in Musical Instrument Craft, specializing in guitar, piano, violin, and woodwind making and repair.
The school has a strong international reputation for producing highly skilled craftspeople and has close links with industry professionals and organizations.
Lincoln College Group, which oversees the Newark campus, has announced that there will be no new intake of students in 2025 and 2026. This suspension threatens the continuation of the degree programs and the skills they impart.
Their website now only shows foundation courses in guitar and violin making.
Lincoln College has cited low application numbers for the suspension, stating that the courses have been running at a substantial loss for the past three years. They have stated in press releases that they are exploring redesigning the program to better meet student and employer needs. However, the closure of the school would mean the loss of the only UK degree course in instrument making and repair. By not offering these courses as a degree, students lose accesss to normal university funding options, making such options inaccessible for many.
Please help ensure the training of future generations of woodwind, brass, and instrument techs by signing this petition: https://www.change.org/p/save-the-newark-school-of-musical-instrument-crafts
thank you!
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-06-27 05:58
Get more enrollments and it won't cancel.
Show support with dollars and enrollments, not signatures, particularly from us across the pond.
Get instrument makers to make sponsorships and scholarships available.
Economics (supply & demand) apply to everything, including academics.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Homage mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Legere French Cut #4 / #4.25
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2025-06-27 12:02
Step 1 is for the decision makers to hear from the instrument-playing community that this matters.
This school was attended from students worldwide.
currently, if they take away the degree pathway, they take away the opportunities for international students to get a student visa, and uk students to enroll with student finance, so we can't support with dollars (or Pounds as they're called over here) and enrollments...
The industry wants to preserve this institution and keep student coming there:
https://www.dawkes.co.uk/sound-room/saving-newark-college-the-future-of-instrument-repair/?srsltid=AfmBOoqWeplqsMzYghCugppGrcGvI4eePgFOxKGUlYwxoGMLphDa8a-C
Change is needed, but it's critical for those making decision, at both the institutional and government level, to know that this stuff matters.
I'm still in my thirties. When I'm at retirement age and have more time to play my horns, I want there to be someone who can maintain them. I don't think I'm alone in wanting that.
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-06-27 19:58
Reread this:
> Lincoln College has cited low application numbers for the
> suspension, stating that the courses have been running at a
> substantial loss for the past three years.
Then reread what I wrote:
> Get more enrollments and it won't cancel.
> Show support with dollars and enrollments, not signatures, particularly from us across the pond.
> Get instrument makers to make sponsorships and scholarships available.
> Economics (supply & demand) apply to everything, including academics.
You're trying to 'sell' the wrong people! The program sponsors that I recommended need to help with getting the word out to increase enrollment!
Programs and businesses don't usually collapse with too much demand and enrollment.
Signatures don't produce dollars.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Homage mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Legere French Cut #4 / #4.25
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