Why Music in Schools Matters — and How SoMi Academy Is Changing the Game
What if music lessons weren’t just about learning an instrument, but about unlocking a child’s confidence, creativity, and communication skills?
That’s the vision driving SoMi Academy, a forward-thinking music education CIC now expanding across the North West. In a recent BBC interview, co-founder Craig Andre-Walsh shared how SoMi’s innovative approach is helping primary school children thrive – not just musically, but socially and emotionally too.
During a pilot at Our Lady of Compassion Primary School in Formby, children who had never picked up an instrument were confidently performing Elvis Presley within two months. The secret? Immersive, band-based learning that treats music like a language – absorbed through play, exploration, and collaboration.
But it doesn’t stop at after-school clubs. SoMi’s model supports classroom teachers with ready-made lesson plans, training, and digital tools. The result is a holistic program that blends extracurricular excitement with in-class curriculum support – all for the cost of a single private lesson per month.
With ambitions to grow from 20 schools this September to 100 next year, SoMi Academy is proving that when children are given the tools, time, and trust to make music, they gain far more than musical skills – they build confidence for life.
🎧 Listen to the interview in full below:
📣 Teachers and parents: want SoMi in your school?
👉 Visit somi.academy/schools to register your interest.