Jean and Ellinor Upton, owners of Waterford Centre of Music, which is about to open a stage school.

The Upton sisters founded the Waterford Centre of Music ten years ago, in 2009, when Jean was 23 years of age and Ellenor was a 19 year old student. Using their Mam Margaret's premises to begin with, they got through the tough early years of the recession and now, ten years later, they're flying at the expanded centre in Tycor. They teach many instruments from group to private lessons, to Tiny Tunes, to Pop Star Parties, to summer camps and lots more. You can find out more about Waterford Centre of Music here..

The Mindfull Choir

When their Mam was diagnosed with dementia, the girls noticed that music and song lyrics were very therapeutic for her, and based on that they set up the Mindfull Choir in Waterford for people suffering with the disease. The girls told me that it's been a great success so far and people are deriving great benefit from it.

A new stage school

Jean and Ellenor are now adding more (ahem..) strings to their bows.. by setting up a new stage school - which will trade under the name WCM-stage. It will run every Thursday from May 2019. Ahead of that they're already booked out for Easter week, with the idea that the participants will stage a show by the end of the camp. Their hope is to stage shows into the future at venues around Waterford, with fully-fledged production expected to be underway from September.

Keeping in local

Jean and Ellenor are examples of people who grew up in Waterford, went to college at WIT and are now operating a successful music business here. They told me it wasn't easy but they're glad they've stuck with it all.

If you like music-related interviews on WLR, have a listen to Geoff's chat with the one and only Rod Stewart here..

And below is my chat with Jean and Ellenor..

https://soundcloud.com/wlrfmwaterford/jean-and-ellenor-upton-discuss-plans-for-a-new-stage-school