STUDENTS from Okehampton College will be busking in the town next week as part of a bold new music education initiative. The college is one of 41 schools in Devon who have signed up to take part in the My Music initiative during National Music Week, which runs from October 16 to 20. On the mornings of Tuesday, October 17 and Wednesday, October 18, a group of students from the college will be ?Busking Loose? in the town. Music teacher Paul Smith said: ?We will be taking a selection of pupils from all years down to Red Lion Yard. They will be busking to promote the fantastically talented musicians we have in the college. ?We will be bringing down mandolins, guitars, trumpets, flutes and as many other acoustic instruments as we can carry.? He said the youngsters were already rehearsing for the performance, some would be playing together, others were planning solo slots. If you are in Okehampton between 11am and 1.30pm next Tuesday or Wednesday, keep an ear out for the young musicians ? keep your change in your pocket though, as they will not be busking to collect money, simply for the enjoyment of playing music and entertaining shoppers. National Music Week is a joint initiative between the Government-sponsored Music Manifesto campaign to improve music education, the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) and the British recorded music industry, the BPI. For more information about National Music Week events visit the website http://www.nationalmusicweek.net">www.nationalmusicweek.net