I remember receiving my first saxophone when I was approximately 11 years old – the golden light beaming out of its rickety case onto my face, almost blinding me. It was second-hand, given to me by an older sister who had upgraded to shinier and newer instruments after passing a grade or two. Regardless, my new toy gave me an immense amount of joy – dents and all.
What is more, one of my favourite memories as a child was taking a trip with my parents to the instrument repair workshop. This was a place I likened to that of Harry Potter’s experience in Ollivander’s shop full of wands. I clearly remember my mother joking that ‘the instrument chooses you’, and an elderly gentleman with a magnifying glass contraption attached to his glasses, performing some magic on the intricacies of a faulty clarinet. It was such an exciting outing that I debated breaking my new instrument (Kurt Cobain style) in order to pay them another visit, I am embarrassed to admit.
These memories return to me as I speak to Rob Driver, the co-owner of brass and woodwind instrument rental company Music Corner, who has a stack of reconditioned instruments in Hogwarts-esque cases behind him. Music Corner was originally a family company and was a music shop (on the corner) selling wares and conducting maintenance and repairs. Now, the company has evolved, with Driver’s father firmly becoming an instrument repairer with the workshop team, and Driver being an instrument buyer and seller, as well as the manager of its swanky new website.
The problem that needs fixing
The mission of Music Corner is simple: to make it as easy and accessible as possible for those who want to pick up an instrument to hire and for as long as they need. The prices are reasonable, and the instruments are of a high quality. On the Music Corner’s homepage you can see that students can hire saxophones, clarinets and flutes for as little as £10pcm. ‘We aim to offer the best value of high-quality musical instrument rental in the country, to enable the next generation to get into music but also the older generations to come back and play again – or pick it up,’ Driver tells me.
Trusted by hundreds of teachers across the UK, Music Corner now also offers optional insurance, covering any instrument that is lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair. This adds another layer of reassurance for parents of forgetful or clumsy children, or for adults who can relate to these qualities. There is a chat service on the website for parents or students to ask questions – including ‘which instrument should I pick up?’, which Driver tells me is a popular one.
Ethos
In the first year as ‘Music Corner’, it was a ‘bootstrap’ business, as Driver puts it. Having self-funded everything and worked at a supermarket checkout in the evenings to keep afloat, Driver felt strongly about the company and its mission to increase accessibility for all. After a while, Andy Belcher joined the Music Corner team as co-owner and director, collaboratively building up the business to what it is today.
One thing that stands out to me is that the company is moving towards a shared goal in the music education sector. Driver mentions that he doesn’t like to refer to other rental companies as ‘competitors’, because the goal of providing instruments to students for a reasonable price across the country can only be achieved as part of a communal effort.
Pricing
When it comes to prices, Music Corner has a variety of options for differing budgets. ‘We are obviously a business, but we work directly with people to provide the right instrument for them,’ says Driver, referring not only to the instrument itself but also how much it costs. ‘If the case is that the price needs adjusting slightly to fit the needs of that student of family, then we will do that. We are very open to small changes to help people out,’ Driver continues. Music Corner also offers education products to schools in the form of Nouveau instruments, which it encourages schools to recycle internally and hand down to students year on year, furthering the working life of instruments.
Alex Deverill
Robert Driver at the Music and Drama Education Expo 2023
Recycling
In a world where we are constantly searching to limit our impact on the environment, patching up instruments and sending them back into circulation can only be a good thing. ‘We only pick top-quality brands to work with, so each teacher knows that even if a student goes for the cheapest possible option with us, they are still going to get a good quality instrument,’ says Driver. Those who buy instruments can also sell them back to Music Corner for a reasonable price, who will then repair any damage and put it back into circulation.
There is something extremely reassuring about the lack of waste in this model – something that is all too common with students who have yet to decide on their preferred instrument. I have seen time and time again how children fall in love with the look of an instrument, their parents purchase one (if they are lucky enough) and, before you know it, the instrument is sitting unused in a case in the cupboard under the stairs. I would have loved the ability to try out various instruments for four months or so before deciding which one to commit to, and then working my way up to getting one of my own after renting for a year.
The need for change
For those whose parents cannot afford to buy an instrument, for playing let alone trying, Music Corner could be a godsend. As we know in the music education community, promoting access to musical instruments is a huge undertaking. ‘This is so important,’ emphasises Driver. ‘There won’t be Ronnie Scott’s or as many amazing UK musicians in the future if we don’t look at this now.’ He highlights that America has a huge number of successful musicians due to well-funded academies, high school bands and competitions that are part of the culture over there. There is a lot of work still to be done in the UK, but there are plenty of things to celebrate – not least the talent displayed by young people that have access to instruments thanks to companies such as Music Corner.
Driver’s expertise is in brass and woodwind, but there is still a huge gap in the provision of other instruments – something that Music Corner could possibly branch out into some years down the line, with additional expertise? One can hope. The work of Driver and his team is amazing, and the thought that one day all children across the UK could have access to an instrument that they are passionate about is a dream worth investing in.
