Sutton Music Trust strives to provide enriching experiences and opportunities for all of its students, fostering confidence and inspiring growth. High Ashurst is the perfect opportunity for students to embark on adventure activities and develop teamwork skills.
On 7th March 2025, 40 young musicians from Sutton Music Trust arrived at High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre to embark on a weekend filled with music, adventure and fun! This trip has become a staple in Sutton Music Trusts calendar for many years, and for many students, is the first time staying away from home. Students took part in musical activities such as learning choir warmups, and engaging in a jazz workshop, as well as taking part in outdoor activities led by High Ashurst staff.
High Ashurst is an exceptional experience for children, offering the perfect opportunity to spend time away from home in a safe, engaging, and incredibly fun environment. The balance between music and a variety of exciting activities is always spot on, ensuring that every child has a memorable time. My son had an absolute blast and is already counting down the days until next year’s adventure.
Musicians from Year 4 – Year 9 who take part in SMT ensembles were in attendance, which is a lovely way for students of varying ages to get to know each other and work together as a team in a new environment. This not only builds social skills but also hones the student’s leadership and teamwork skills to further enhance their skills in their ensembles. Students from Young Musicians String Group, Sutton Youth Training Band and Young Musicians Orchestra to name a few, joined us on this weekend away.
We were lucky to be joined by one of our SMT stewards, who has grown up through Sutton Music Trust, playing in various ensembles such as Sutton Youth Wind Orchestra. Thank you so much to Barney for the wonderful pictures!
During the trip, students took part in two outdoor activities, a challenge course and a climbing wall. The challenge course tested students’ teamwork skills as they had to problem solve to cross various low ropes challenges. By the end, teams were working as well-oiled machines and learnt how to communicate effectively with each other. The climbing wall was a challenge of bravery, and it was delightful to see our students’ shouting words of encouragement to one another, to enable their teammates to reach the top of the wall.
On the Saturday evening, students took part in a campfire jam session, where we sang choir songs in the round, and toasted marshmallows on an open fire. The tuck shop was open on Saturday night, giving students an opportunity to get a snack before our Talent Show and Movie Night. The students were quick to fall asleep on Saturday after such a jam-packed day! On Sunday, students were able to share their hard work and progress with their family and friends in an open rehearsal, where guests were invited to come and watch the material that students had learnt over the weekend as part of our ‘scratch orchestra’.
Many students were already asking when the next trip will be and were overheard saying “I definitely will [come back next year], this is the funnest place ever!”. Everyone who attended had a wonderful time (staff included) and after a good rest the week after, we are already excitedly anticipating next year’s trip!
My daughter was keen to sign up to the High Ashurst weekend as she had heard it was great fun! She had a fantastic weekend learning new music as part of playing in the orchestra, singing and making new friends through all the outdoor activities. We were lucky to have such a perfect weather weekend, but even if that hadn’t been the case we would highly recommend this trip!
Want to get involved?
To find out more about our bands, orchestras, and choirs, check out our website here: Bands & Orchestras – Sutton Music Trust
Want to develop your Ukulele skills? Contact us to find out more about our Debut! Ukulele classes here: Debut Classes at Music Academy – Sutton Music Trust
Invitations to High Ashurst 2026 will be sent out in Autumn 2025.
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