Actress Kate Fleetwood appalled at Music Centre closure

Actress Kate Fleetwood has hit out at the closure of Stratford Music Centre saying more should be done to help the place that inspired her to pursue the arts.

Kate and her sister Marian Fleetwood, a professional musician, attended the centre in their teens and later returned to teach youngsters.

Last week the Herald reported that the music centre, which has been running for 43 years, would close later this year.

The closure has been triggered by the music centre failing to come to an agreement with the college over the continued use of its premises.

This week Kate Fleetwood spoke to the Herald about her experiences at the music centre as she departed for a film shoot in Africa.

Kate said: “The music centre has played a really, really important part in my life, I wouldn’t be sitting here in a car heading out to film in Casablanca, if I hadn’t gone to a place like this.

“I’m appalled to hear that it is not going to continue. Stratford’s biggest attraction is its theatre scene, if the college can’t help the music centre, somebody else should step in. I really feel very sad about what is happening, this place was so important for me, it helped me develop my craft and my independence.

“Every year they would do a play, and this really helped further my passion for performing. Every week you would get to go to a place outside school and work with adults and children from different backgrounds and different schools. It gave you a sense of real independence

“I began teaching some of the younger students there when I was in my late teens and the atmosphere was always very warm and friendly.

“The thing I remember about the shows was that they were very ambitious and very professional, we did Howard Goodall’s Dido & Aeneas at the Swan Theatre, which was amazing. Sometimes we had a 10 piece orchestra accompanying us.

“This cross pollination between young people developing in the arts, was just fantastic, a great collaborative process. Some of my very first performances were with the Music Centre.

“I feel bereft and particularly outraged that this place is closing, in Stratford of all places.”

Kate’s sister Marian, a world renowned musician in her own right, added: “The music centre acted as a fantastic springboard to performing at county and then national level, I know Kate’s stage debut was in a music centre production. It was great because you got to mix with a whole group of people outside your school friendship groups, I stayed with my teacher there right up to my grade 8 and I’m still friends with her now, it helped build these life-long musical relationships.

“It taught us about the whole process of performing and the hard work needed to succeed. In a time when the arts are being squeezed in schools it is essential that there are places like the music centre, too many young people don’t have access to the arts. The music centre played a key part in mine and Kate’s careers.

“I was very sad when I heard about the closure and very shocked. It’s hard to believe that somewhere that is such a creative hub like Stratford can see this place close. We are in Stratford, if young people can’t have access to something like the music centre here, where can they? I’m gobsmacked.

“If it wasn’t for the music centre I certainly wouldn’t be doing what I do now, I’ve performed in front of 25,000 people, I’ve played on more than 100 albums and I’m going to the states next year, I wouldn’t have done any of that. The music centre showed us that it was viable to make a living within the arts, they treat you like professionals from day one.”