‘Our members are at all levels and we even have one or two experts. You can come for some or all of the session but it can be overwhelming for absolute beginners/learners. Therefore we’ve introduced lessons and separate sessions for them at our home ... We also play local fetes and festivals, private parties and we organise several charity gigs each year.’

Our Mission Statement  'music@stansted gives people of all ages in the Stansted area the chance to enjoy live music performed by international artists and young rising stars, as well as providing an occasional platform for talented young local musicians'. Four concerts per year between October and March.

'We are a friendly, non-competing brass band based in Bishop’s Stortford ... Our ages currently range from teens to 70+ but we welcome players from age 8 upwards. We play for school and village fetes, the town’s Remembrance Sunday Service, private events and of course there is a lot of carolling at Christmas. We also put on concerts so that we can have the opportunity to showcase our music.'

'The premier choral group performing large scale choral works in Bishop's Stortford. We perform two or three concerts each year, with orchestral or keyboard accompaniment and sometimes in conjunction with other choirs. Though our repertoire has sacred as well as secular music, we are independent of any religious organisation.'

‘Founded in 2015, Bishop Stortford’s Sinfonia gives Bishop’s Stortford something that very few small towns can boast, orchestral concerts of truly professional standard. Drawing from the core of excellent professional and semi-professional musicians living locally, the reputation of the orchestra has quickly spread and now many superb musicians travel from far and wide to join the Sinfonia for their concerts ... Sustaining an orchestra on the scale of Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia is a massive ongoing challenge. Our players already support the orchestra by accepting fees that are only a fraction of the professional rates to play with us, but even then, the costs of bringing this many musicians together, music hire, instrument hire, venue hire, advertising and insurance cannot be met by ticket sales alone. We therefore urgently need further funding if the orchestra is going to be able to continue ...’

‘A community choir based in Braughing in Hertfordshire ... The choir sings music in a variety of styles and is open to all ages and abilities. There are no auditions and you do not need to be able to read music. The only requirement is plenty of enthusiasm!  Braughing Sing members are encouraged to attend regularly so that the choir can progress together and reach a good standard for performances. However the main aim is to have fun and enjoy ourselves getting to know new music and improving our sound.‘

Founded in 1994 in Bishop’s Stortford: ‘Cantate is divided into three distinct groups which perform on their own and in combination with the other groups. Each choir performs at least one concert a term and sometimes more, depending on the demands of the season. Most rehearsals take place on Sundays during the school term, though occasionally there are Saturday and mid-week rehearsals ahead of performances ... The Senior Choir is often asked to perform on a national stage, and is a partner choir for Gabrieli ROAR – a training scheme run for some of the finest youth choirs in the UK.’

'The original part of the main building on South Road is the birthplace of Cecil Rhodes, financier, entrepreneur and founder of the De Beers diamond company ... Today, Rhodes is a vibrant entertainment venue with a refurbished auditorium, new conference rooms, a dance studio and a cafe/bar. It hosts a wide variety of shows, workshops, events and exhibitions.'