Whether you are a professional musician, an enthusiastic beginner or someone who dreams of being able to play, Music is a part of who we are. For 45 years Wentworth Music has offered quality private and semi private music lessons in Kelowna, British Columbia on a variety of instruments in a relaxed, encouraging, upscale environment.
The WMEC in Kelowna offers lessons on Guitar, Bass , Drums, Piano, Voice, Violin, Kindermusik and more. Check out our lessons link above for more information.
We're also very proud to say we offer the largest, full blown student ROCK concert productions in Canada. These encouraging, upscale shows will knock your socks off. Click the Events or Media tabs above to find out more.
Blog
Jan 6, 2012
Happy New Year! OUr Band Factory is kicking of the new Year with a gig at the Hotel Eldorado. $10 adult, $5 student. Tickets are on sale at Wentworth Music.
Nov 6, 2011
What a busy month October was! We announced our theme for next tribute show as February 19, 2011. This time around calling it. The Back to the 80’s show! Basically this show is a one hit wonders production with a few more of the well known hit’s from the 1980’s. It’s going to be a blast!
We also had our our 45 anniversary sale at Wentworth Music. All the staff dressed up, live entertainment, lots of activity all day.
Last night the Wentworth Band Factory put on it’s first show at the Rotary Centre for the Arts Atrium. The four bands in the program did really well. The program continues to evolve as students get better and better. There is some amazing talent this year. I really think people should see what potential is here for students who are seriously into music and performing. I can see tremendous opportunity! Our next show is Wednesday the 23 at the RCA Atrium again. Admission is free!
Oct 7, 2011
Lora Wentworth is finishing up the Rockschool conference in Singapore, Bands have been chosen for this years band factory program. We still have room for more powerhouse groups! speak to your instructor to see if you are ready to get gigging! Now we gear up for Kids Pop Okanagan on the 15th and Our 45 anniversary/ Spooktacular Halloween sale on the 29th of October. Stay tuned, the announcement of what the next concert theme that many have been asking for is just around the corner.
Sept 27, 2011
Lora Wentworth is off to Singapore next week to take in the Rockschool regional manager conference. We can’t wait to hear all the exciting news!
Sept 26, 2011
Band Factory Band Auditions happen this weekend! From what I heard at the Rutland September days performance, there is going to be some really great bands this year right off the bat! We’re talking about adding some more groups to run for the school year. Speak to your instructor to see if you are ready for the next step!
Sept 22, 2011
Can’t wait to see our Band Factory at the Rutland September Days this weekend at Centennial Park. Saturday our Elite band plays from 5-6pm, Sunday the four remaining bands will all play a 20-25 min set from 1-3pm. It’s going to be a great weekend!
Sept 19, 2011
Calls are already coming in to book the Band Factory bands and we’re just getting started. Looks like we’re keeping with tradition for lining up shows and the potential for keeping us busy and gigging. Thank you so much Kelowna for the support and belief in what we’re doing for the next generation! Auditions happen next weekend for band placement. The coolest thing is this year we may be adding additional groups. Speak to your instructor ASAP if you think you’re ready for the next step. Hard work and skill gets noticed.
Sept 15, 2011
Band Factory meetings this week. Boy am I looking forward to hearing some great players for the auditions in a few weeks. Until then the Rutland Fall Splash is Sept 24 and 25. Five of our bands from last year will light up the stages on both days. Check out our Events page for all the details.
Sept 11, 2011
Our first day off today in a month. We have been working very hard to get things ready to go for the fall. New Websites, six new music studios for music lessons, a fresh coat of paint and three new music instructors for our Kelowna location! It’s looking really classy. Some great ideas kicking around to stir the pot and provide opportunities for the music students. Music lessons have never been more fun!
Sept 9, 2011
I was reminded today what great Instructors we have at the school. Kerry Rottacker just received his Masters certificate on Guitar from Berkley College in Boston and is displaying the certificate proudly. Justen Gordon, one of our amazing Drum Instructors, has his Masters through Berkley in California. Check them out on our lessons page. Cam Wilks our new drum instructor has arrived after taking the long drive from Manitoba. Cam has his BA in Music and is one hot drummer. Cam has been teaching a regular roster of drum students back in Manitoba at his previous job. Welcome to the team Cam! Check Cam out here.
Sept 8, 2011
Well, we’re back in full swing at the school. We’re up six new studios to keep up with the amazing growth we have been experiencing. 18 studios now. Wow! if we hit 900 students in the next few years we’re going to have a big party for sure! I love the excitement of the students as they come back for music lessons. Many of them asking about what our next show is going to be too.
One of the big things for this fall is the addition of the Rockschool graded examinations. Wentworth Music Education Centre will now be the first school in Canada to offer students a way to have a structured goal of the exam as an option to go along with their private lessons. This is a serious program. It’s like Royal Conservatory but instead of Classical students get to study Rock, Pop, Latin, Funk, etc. For example in grade 2 or 3 Guitarists are studying AC/DC , Cream, Red Hot Chile Peppers, Metallica, Etc. Rockschool is for Guitar, Drums, Bass, Piano, Synth Keys, and Voice. It’s designed as a way to learn how to get better to be in a band situation. It’s completely optional for students but you know what, I’ve already seen a difference in my playing by studying. I am studying grade 6 bass at the moment and I will tell you it will take all year for me to be ready but boy this stuff is great for developing the chops. It appears that grade 6,7,8 are at a music school university level. The pieces written for the exam that the students memorize is super fun stuff to play too.
What a crazy amazing year we had last year in 2010/2011. In October our students got to play Mini Break Out West and our teachers put together a killer musical petting zoo for about 2000 children who came to visit. At the end of October we had two guests from the Singapore Academy of Rock come visit us to learn about our school and us about them. January held a performance for all four bands from our Band Factory program at the International Children’s games at Prospera Place Arena for 5000 people. We also had the chance to partner with the Canadian School of Ballet for the final number “don’t stop believing” check out our media page to see the video.
February we performed We weren’t born to follow - a tribute to Bon Jovi at the Kelowna Community Theatre for a sold out audience of 853 with 156 students performing.
March held our select one’s trip to Singapore to play at the Singapore Academy of Rock’s tribute to everything retro entitled “nothing’s gonna stop us now”. We also named our band program to the Wentworth Music Band Factory as a way to brand what we do and even have T-shirts displying the killer logo our good friend Davidicus drew up for us! April our Elite band played with Canadian Icon, Darby Mills, for the BC interior Music awards playing her hit song “Don’t it make ya feel like dancin’”.
June we performed “Rock of Ages” a tribute to Def Leppard at the Kelowna community theatre for our year end wrap up. Way too much fun! All our tribute shows raise money to help kids in our community. To date with help from Interior Savings we have raised over $52,000 for the Kelowna General Hospital’s children’s ward! Not too bad for only the last 4 years.
July 1st our performance and Elite band played Canada Day at Waterfront Park. Then our crowning moment. Our Elite band took a trip to New York to work with Norma Garbo (Taylor Swift, Scissor Sisters) and then played a show at the famous Rockwood Music Hall. All I can say is that it was the best trip of my life! The biggest complement was getting business cards from an A&R rep from Mercury Records, meeting the producer for Miss Saigon and a Broadway Talent Scout, all of which were in the audience and very interested on what we were doing in Kelowna. Regardless of what comes about from this performance, it was a huge complement to get their attention like that.
August held our last performance at the Summer Fusion Festival at Kerry Park. The Elite band did an amazing job!
I have a hard time believing that every band got to play 13 shows during the school year but Select one and Elite got to play a bit more. Elite played an amazing 23 shows! How many student bands can say that? I remember how exciting it was at that age to play one show a year! It’s going to be a challenge to top this year but we will do our best!
