About us

Our core values are to ‘inspire, nurture and excel’ and to provide the young people of Northamptonshire with musical and artistic opportunities.

What we offer

We offer a range of enrichment programmes for schools and individuals of all ages around the county. Our highly talented team of teachers are able to provide teaching on musical instruments at every school in the county. We offer a full range of instruments and musical styles and currently teach 15,000 students in ‘First Access’ – whole class instrumental lessons or small groups.

There are 12 Saturday Music and Performing Arts Centres, (plus one on a Thursday evening) and 4 NMPAT Contemporary Centres at venues around the county. The centres are open to everybody and exist to provide an educational and fun environment for any young person interested in the Arts.

We run a programme of residential courses for young musicians and some of the county groups. We also have an extensive programme of concerts and events throughout the year, including many regular fixtures in our calendar.

Northamptonshire is renowned for the high standard of its ensembles, with over 1,000 young musicians involved in our award winning County Music and Drama Groups.

We are also the biggest providers of instrumental music lessons to individuals in the county. Lessons take place at our Kettering Road Music and Arts Centre in Northampton and at a variety of venues around Northamptonshire. Kettering Road is also the home for our Youth Theatre, Northampton Rock and Early Years Music classes.

About the trust

In April 2012 the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust was established as an Independent Charitable Company after 40 years trading as the former Local Authority Music Service.

Shortly afterwards NMPAT was appointed the lead partner in the new Northamptonshire Music Education Hub (NMEH) and in September 2013 was invited to take over the lead role in the Rutland Music Education Hub, Rutland Music, now established as a subsidiary charity. Working with other local Music and Arts groups the Hubs will oversee the local delivery of the government’s National Music Plan.

Job vacancies

All of our vacancies, both teaching and administrative, will be posted here.

Our role as a Music Education Hub

Information on all of our partners and Rutland Music Education Hub.

Policies

Information on all of our policies, including how we keep children safe, what we do when recruiting staff and our policy on photographs.

Student success stories

We value all of our students and their experiences. Here are a selection of stories from former students about their time at NMPAT.

Trustees, funders and partners

We could not continue our valuable work without the contributions of our partners and trustees.

Where to find us

Donate using Local Giving

Make a donation

Donate using Virgin Money Giving

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Coronavirus and NMPAT

15th January 2021

As a result of the Third National Lockdown and closure of schools, we are making plans with partner schools who are able to facilitate on-line lessons, and have started work in some of them. We are aware that not all schools will be able to facilitate this, and not all staff may be in a position to deliver lessons. We will provide lessons wherever circumstances allow.

County Group rehearsals and individual lessons will not be taking place face-to-face during the period of the Lockdown. We have reduced the number of County Group rehearsals that we will be meeting on-line. County Group conductors and teachers will share details of on-line sessions with their groups.

We will continue to follow Government guidance when considering options for the future and will return to face-to-face activity as soon as this is permitted.

The NMPAT Virtual Centre is meeting on Saturdays and welcomes any new members or visitors who may like to join us. To register for the Spring Term as a new students please visit use the online form.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support us through this difficult time. We look forward to seeing you all later in the year, and hope to invite you to a performance sometime soon

Peter Smalley, Chief Executive