Nandi Bushell announces plans to open music school
Prodigal teenage drumming talent Nandi Bushell has announced her plans to open a music school in Ipswich, Norfolk.
The musician, who has previously been praised by Dave Grohl and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders, will open Stairway Music School in September. After the launch of the school, Bushell will head out on an arena tour of the United Kingdom with child choirs.
The music school is based at Burlington Baptist Church on London Road in Bushell’s hometown. She is starting the venture with her family and the family of her drumming tutor Ashley Howard. Stairway Music School hopes to attract people of different talent levels and ages.
“Friends, fun and performing on stage,” Nandi told the BBC. “I really want my students to be inspired to start learning an instrument and to know the journey is really exciting. It can take them places they never thought they were going to go to.”
While drumming will be available, students will also be able to learn the guitar, bass, the keyboards, or work on their vocals. There will also be a live performance aspect to the two-hour sessions.
Bushell’s father told the BBC he’s been performing with Nandi at pubs since she was seven years old which he believes “has been critical to her success as a musician” and allowed her to have :no fear of getting on stage.”
In order to keep the lessons affordable to the local community, Stairway Music School have announced partnerships with Fender and Roland who have donated instruments to the school.
Earlier this year, Bushell covered The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’ and revealed Meg White is her drumming hero.
She captioned the video: “Meg White is my #Hero. The first day I got drums my dad showed me the video of Seven Nation Army’. I saw Meg playing the drums and thought she was the coolest person in the world. I still do. The more I learn about music, the more I realise that songs, and art, are created to wake emotions deep inside the soul.”
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