FACES
N
oel Wentworth is in an
enviable win-win-win
position.
Born and raised in
the city of Kelowna, BC,
Wentworth was destined
for a life filled with music from the begin-
ning. The fact that music would one day
become his livelihood, however, wasn’t
always clear.
“As far as my upbringing here, I was
raised in a very musical family,” he shares.
“My father, mother, grandmother, grandfa-
ther – they had Wentworth Music and that
was the family life I was brought up into.”
Wentworth Music – now a chain of
three stores serving Kelowna, Vernon,
and Penticton, BC – was first established
as a single shop in 1966. While Noel now
works for the company alongside his
siblings, Neil and Nori, he admits that,
surprisingly, joining the family business
wasn’t always in his sights.
Before becoming part of the music
industry, Wentworth was a hairdresser and
trained at the prestigious Vidal Sassoon
Academy in Santa Monica, CA. Being vot-
ed in as the top junior hairdresser of the
year, it was scarcely two weeks after being
presented with the award that Wentworth
decided it was time for a change.
“I went off to music school, and that’s
where I met my wife, Lora,” he says of
the choice that changed both his career
trajectory and personal life for the better.
“I came back and started performing and
teaching music and eventually started the
Wentworth Music Education Centre.”
Starting with a mere 88 students
upon first opening its doors 13 years
ago, in the years since, the education
centre has merged with Wentworth
Music’s Kelowna retail store and grown
substantially. Now, the Wentworth Music
Education Centre has over 900 students
and counting – a feat so impressive that
NAMM has invited Wentworth to share his
approach as part of its NAMM University
program.
Wentworth is currently preparing for
the centre’s next student concert – the
20
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE
Noel Wentworth
By Megan Beam
“flagship event” hosted by Wentworth
Music and its Education Centre.
So what makes the concert so
special? Well, it definitely isn’t your typical
student recital. Featuring performances by
anywhere from 160 to over 200 students
who attend the education centre, it’s the
dream rock concert. It’s got a high-end
light show, big concert sound, and a roar-
ing crowd of nearly 900 voices cheering
for the artists as they take centre stage.
All of the proceeds raised by the
semi-annual events are donated back
to the community to benefit children in
need, whether it’s through the pediatrics
programs at hospitals in Kelowna or Ver-
non or other not-for-profit organizations.
“To date we have raised over
$167,000 to help children,” says a proud
Wentworth, and that number is growing
regularly. The school and stores are very
community-minded in their other en-
deavours as well, often presenting events
like musical petting zoos to engage more
people in music making.
Working closely with families in his
community keeps Wentworth inspired
about what he does. He says it’s about the
unique stories surrounding each individ-
ual; it’s about the collaboration and just
giving people a positive creative outlet.
“It’s getting involved and feeling like
we’re making a difference,” he says. “It’s
been my goal since we started doing all
this that I wanted people, anytime they
thought about music in our community, I
wanted them to think about our business
and that keeps me inspired.”
He adds that there is really no line
between work and life outside of it since
he’s so fond of what he does. “I love going
out and reaching people I’ve never met
before and showing them what we’re
about and what we do... I love going out
into the community and showing kids
that they can play music. That gets me
fired up.”
One of the activities that occupies
his time away from work is his family’s
collective storybook – something like a
scrapbook with hundreds of pages filled
with photos, press clippings, and special
moments for him and his family. “I want
my kids to be able to pick up the book
eventually when they’re grown up and
go, ‘Yeah, that was my childhood all right,’”
says Wentworth with a chuckle.
Both of his children have demon-
strated a passion for the family business
and are often just as enthusiastic as he is
when it comes to meeting new people
and sharing the joys of music.
Since being accredited by the Min-
istry of Education in British Columbia, the
Wentworth Music Education Centre has
been rolling out its Rockschool graded
music exams. This means Wentworth
Music students will be able to earn credits
for studies on various instruments and in
various styles going beyond the typical
classical curriculum.
One of the things Wentworth says
he’s looking forward to in the coming year
is working with a group of music students
travelling from Rwanda to Kelowna and
having them collaborate with students at
the Education Centre.
It’s all about generating opportuni-
ties, making a difference, and helping to
create the next generation of musicians
– all things that Wentworth has made his
life’s work.
Megan Beam is a freelance writer and former
editorial assistant with Canadian Music Trade.