The Music Service has moved from its base in Lord Street, Douglas, to St Ninian’s Lower School, at Bemahague.
Education chiefs say the new facilities address a number of the shortcomings of its previous base, in the same building as the Office of Fair Trading.
The future of the building is now under consideration by its owner, the Department of Infrastructure.
DEC estates director Richard Collister explained: ‘The former premises, which were leased from the Department of Infrastructure, had insufficient parking and drop off/pick-up, being situated on a busy main road.
‘Facilities were located over two floors, with no lift, all of which made access difficult for students and teachers carrying instruments.’
There was inadequate storage for both instruments and the service’s huge catalogue of music manuscripts, scores, sheet music and educational resources.
And poor climate control and noise from the street affected rehearsals and exams.
The school is now home to the Department of Education and Children’s Music Service’s teaching and administration staff.
And it will be the setting for music lessons, professional development for teachers, rehearsals and exams, including external board exams taken by several hundred children and adults throughout the year.
It will be the meeting place for some of the Music Service and community-run groups and choirs.
Mr Collister said: ‘The new facilities, on the first floor of the school at Bemahague, provide good access and parking, a dedicated rehearsal and examination room, space for storage of instruments and archiving of music, with specialist racking, plus a room for peripatetic staff, who work around schools but need a base for preparations/planning.’
He said the proximity of the Music Service to St Ninian’s own music department provided opportunities for close liaison and shared use of facilities for the benefit of the school’s own students and others.’
The rehearsal space will be available for external letting.
Maggie Richardson, head of Music Service, added: ‘It is exciting to see the new centre take shape and we are looking forward to working with the staff and pupils of St Ninian’s Lower School, as well as other schools and community groups, in such pleasant surroundings.
‘Public access to our library and other facilities will be much easier than in Lord Street and I hope we will continue to see plenty of visitors.’
An open day will be announced in due course.
DoI head of asset management Andrew Wallace said there were currently no plans to dispose of the building.
‘We are looking at what’s there now and how to make best use of it.’
He said part of the strategic asset management unit’s role was looking at how best government offices could be consolidated into government buildings and ‘increase density of occupation’.