History
In 1966 the Lancashire Education Authority opened the Lancaster County Junior Music School at what is now the Central Lancaster High School. This Music Centre grew in size and in 1972 it was re-named the Lancaster County Music Centre. In 1972 the management of this Music Centre passed into the hands of Allan Burnham-Airey who remained at the helm until 1991 (and in whose name an annual award is made by LCMC). The Music Centre had a roll of several hundred young musicians at this time playing at all standards from beginner to post Grade 8, mainly on Saturday mornings.
In 1981, after 15 years as a local music centre, the Lancaster County Music Centre was joined by several other local music centres formed by the Lancashire County Music Service. For several years the Music Centre was based at the College of Further Education, before returning to its original premises at Central Lancaster High School. Ten years later, in 1991, the Music Centre was re-named the Lancaster Music Centre.
During the early 1990s financial support from the Lancashire County Music Service declined as Local Management of Schools took effect and by 1994 it was feared that the Lancaster Music Centre might cease to be viable. A group of parents decided to take the step of breaking the link with the Lancashire Education Authority, forming an independent, charitable, body named the Lancaster Community Music Trust (LCMT), which then established the Lancaster Community Music Centre (LCMC) at the premises of Dallas Road Primary School in September 1994.
Since 1994 LCMC has operated independently through the efforts of parents, children and teachers and LCMT is managed by a board of volunteer trustees.
In September 2004 LCMC moved from Dallas Road Primary School to its current premises at The New Building, Lancaster Royal Grammar School, East Road, Lancaster. After some turbulent years of Lockdowns caused by Covid-19 LCMC re-opened its doors in September 2021. In September 2022 LCMC decided to move back to Dallas Road Community Primary School.
