A GREAT success thats the verdict following West Devon folk and community arts charity Wren Music s summer music club held in Okehampton last week.

The fun-filled five days of music and song gave young people the chance to play a wide range of instruments from Wren Musics extensive stock, including traditional ones such as fiddles, melodeons, accordions and mandolins; and lesser-known ones such as the autoharp, hammered dulcimer, bouzouki and bodhran an Irish hand drum.

Participants learned to sing in harmony, with one song even having five separate parts to be sung at the same time

They also learned to compose music and to write songs together some of which they performed to parents and friends on the Friday afternoon.

The club was led by David Faulkner and Sarah Owen from Wren Musics team of award-winning professional musicians, singers, songwriters, and music educators.

Sarah said: Its great to have so many young people working together harmoniously, and showing such obvious joy in their music making and singing.

We look forward to seeing many of them again at our weekly afterschool music and singing workshops which start in September.

The summer music club also gave two local teenagers, Aidan Childs and Alice Cox, the opportunity to gain work experience. Both had attended a range of previous Wren Music activities over several years, and now they have been sharing their own music and singing skills with the younger participants and assisting with the running of the club.

At the end of the week, one said: I now know that I want a career teaching art forms with young people.

Further information on Wren Musics full programme of youth and adult folk choirs, orchestras and bands, concerts and dance events throughout Devon, as well as CDs, song and tune books and other publications can be found at http://www.wrenmusic.co.uk">www.wrenmusic.co.uk or by calling 01837 53754.