Learn To Play Day 2012: Rock legends announce their support for National Learn to Play Day

If they hadn’t first picked up an instrument in their youth, the world’s biggest rock legends would not be who they went onto become. Eager to see the next generation of musicians to enter the fray, some of our best-loved rockers have come out in support of National Learn to Play Day.
Ian Paice, best-known as the drummer for Deep Purple, will be just one of the musicians hoping to pull people off the streets on March 31st and encourage them to pick up a pair of drum sticks.
He will be sitting behind a drum kit at Reading’s Drumwright and teaching people old and young some beginner’s steps to playing the instrument.
“Being given the gift of being able to create music is an incredible thing,” he said. “And most people don’t allow themselves this pleasure. That’s a shame. Try it. You could just make your life a whole lot more fun!”
And he’s not the only one getting stuck in with the campaign.
Renowned Saxophonist, Snake Davis of M People will be on hand to share his knowledge and experiences to everyone at musicroom York from a career playing with some of the world’s biggest artists; from Eurhythmics and Take That to Beyoncé Knowles, Ray Charles, Paul McCartney and more.
York will also be welcoming leading Bandsman, Alan Morrison and Master Craftsman Peter Pollard to their musicroom store.
Three members of 1980s English rock band Whitesnake will be at Sheehan’s in Leicester to show members of the public how to play the guitar or drums.
The inaugural event, run by charity Music for All, will see music instrument shops in the UK open their doors and offer free instrument ‘taster’ lessons to the general public, inspiring them to start playing.
Meanwhile, local composer Anthony Mudge has composed a piece that will be performed as part of musicroom Edinburgh’s Learn To Play Day event.
While Pink Floyd drummer and songwriter Nick Mason won’t be attending a Learn to Play Day event, he is supporting the cause and explained that maybe not everyone can become a star by learning an instrument, it does allow you to make friends, work with other people to achieve a common goal and give an “enormous sense of sheer pleasure when almost any music is produced”.
“These days you can learn almost any instrument,” he added, “be it rock or classical, and almost always from a committed teacher. I wish I had that opportunity in my childhood – I could have been Eric Clapton!”
Who would be your dream music tutor? Are you worried that you might struggle to play under the glare of a musical hero, or would the opportunity to listen and learn be too great to not take advantage of?