Coronavirus: West Sussex Music temporarily closes music centres in Chichester, Crawley, Haywards Heath, Horsham and Worthing

In a statement, the charity said: “Yesterday, following the latest advice from the Government, we took the decision to temporarily close our Music Centres in Chichester, Crawley, Haywards Heath, Horsham (including County Ensembles) and Worthing from Friday March 20 until Friday April 3 and to cancel or postpone all our concerts and events, with immediate effect, until Friday April 3.

“If you have purchased tickets from The Hawth, they will contact you directly regarding Crawley Sings Live!

“If you purchased tickets from Worthing Assembly Hall, please contact their box office requesting your money back.”

Chief executive James Underwood said in-school activities and lessons are still running where schools are open and receiving external teachers.

But he added: “It is increasingly likely that there will be further disruption and school closures; the term will effectively finish earlier than usual.

“Like you, we very much hope that this is a temporary situation and lost lessons may be made up over the course of the remaining academic year.

“These were difficult decisions to make, particularly as the financial implications for us as a charity are considerable and we are only too aware of the impact this will have on our talented young musicians and our hardworking staff. “But, we want everyone to stay healthy and well, and to play our part in stopping the spread of the virus.”

He said customers are requested to continue paying their summer term fees and that direct debits remain unchanged.

James added: “If your personal circumstances change, however, please do get in touch with us to discuss solutions.

“In regards to online learning, we are looking at the possibility of remote teaching options, so that should school closures continue, we can support children’s learning and interest in music lessons in another way.

“We will update parents/carers of children in tuition with further information.

“As a charity, we are working hard to find ways to survive the financial impact of the current coronavirus crisis. Your continued patience makes a huge difference to us as we try to answer all your queries.

“We would encourage you to stay engaged with our social media platforms so that our musical community can remain connected at what is an increasingly isolating time.

“Our thoughts are with everyone who is being affected by this situation and we pass on our very best wishes to all of you and your loved ones. We look forward to welcoming you and your children back to a Music Centre, event or music lesson in the near future.”