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CASTLE TOWARD
Some 53 years ago the Corporation of Glasgow bought Castle Toward, set in an estate of some 226 acres, from the Coats family, the Paisley thread makers. The building was used initially as a residential school for children recovering from illness or living in deprived home conditions. It then became available for residential education for children from all Glasgow Primary Schools, with a leaning towards environmental and outdoor activities. Taken over in the mid-seventies by Strathclyde Region, access to the facility became more widely available to schools throughout throughout Strathclyde. On the dis-aggregation of the region ownership reverted to Argyll & Bute Council, on whose land the building was located. Argyle & Bute now wish to sell the building and lands for commercial development.
In 1951 Glasgow Corporation created their Schools' Orchestra which continues to visit Castle Toward annually in July. From that root has developed a comprehensive range of self-programming musical activities at the Castle, attracting groups from a wide geographical area to avail themselves of the excellent resources available in this well appointed venue.
Castle Toward is the residential "home" to a number of music groups - varying in extreme from small vocal ensembles to Symphony Orchestras.
Vocal groups, from small ensembles to choruses of some 120 singers, enjoy the luxury of four large rehearsal rooms - each equipped with a piano - and further accommodation to facilitate breaking comfortably into smaller groups as required. The large hall within the Castle is more than adequate to accommodate full chorus rehearsals.
Bands and orchestras have access to numerous rooms for sectional rehearsals, and the two halls allow full wind and string rehearsals to run concurrently when required. The larger hall provides a working area for an orchestra of up to 80 players.
Add to this the option of using Toward Memorial Hall, conveniently situated at the end of the Castle drive, and an orchestra of 100 or so players can comfortably come together.
Castle Toward has a composer in residence in the person of John Maxwell Geddes, resulting in it’s use a centre developing for composition and inventing techniques amongst young musicians.
Drama groups are equally well served and groups indulge in the combined facilities for both drama and music in preparing school productions.
Art groups have tremendous scope both inside and outside the building - a castelated mansion house dating from 1820 with Italian plasterwork installed in the public rooms in 1920 combined with grounds incorporating the ruins of Toward Castle, the Chinese lakes, wooded areas, access to the shore, and stunning views over the Clyde estuary - an artists paradise!
Although the emphasis is on Youth Music and other Arts, the centre is used by parties of all age groups and many a person has turned the clock back when they spend a night or two in the dormitory of their teens!
It is widely agreed that Castle Toward is second to none in the facilities it offers for residential arts education. The location is safe - with extensive and beautiful grounds giving a feeling of unrestricted freedom well away from roads and towns. Does any other centre offer comparative accommodation under the same roof?
You are invited to support Youth Music provision in Scotland by joining an appeal to retain Castle Toward as a residential centre. Please consider signing up as a Friend of Castle Toward (via web site) and making your views known through the press (The Herald is actively supporting the campaign), local councillors and MSPs. |
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