musiceducationuk.com Summer 2011 / Launch issue 1
Music The view from Wales Musical Futures in Australia A Day in the Life: Su Hart Education Developing the Kodály legacy Digital Learning UK News, Reviews & Listings bringing everyone together Going up in smoke? Why music education in England is on a burning platform
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For more information, please email [email protected] or visit themu.org LA or were in some cases just Music Service Plans. The 2009 plans which www.musiceducationzone.net Music Education UK Contents
REGULARS 38 State of the Union SPECIAL FEATURE Partnership and collaboration 8 Music education in Wales: with the Musicians’ Union a warning for England?
THE CENTRE POINT
5 Editorial 20 Editorial 6 News Technology Editor Tim Hallas welcomes readers 16 A Day in the Life Community musician, performer 21 It’s technology but is it music? and choral leader Su Hart Brian Duncan’s whistlestop tour for novices 32 Q & A Anita Holford’s report reveals a Jazz pianist, composer and tutor 22 Music Medals go digital chequered picture of provision Huw Warren Charanga Music have taken across the country ABRSM’s resources online 42 Listings 24 Review: the Korg Monotron The new synthesiser is put through SPECIAL FEATURE FEATURES its paces 12 Apocalypse now? 24 The Apptitude test 1 Beatwave
26 The Apptitude Test 2 NanoStudio 8 World Stage Festival Party time in Bristol REVIEWS
27 Musical Futures in Australia 39 Yes You Can Play Great Rock Guitar Why students are queueing up Does our reviewer Robert Ahwai Down Under agree? Marc Jaffrey’s call to action for 29 Developing the Kodály legacy 40 Inside Music the music education sector in László Nemes’ keynote address at An Early Years resource from The England. Warning: contains musiclearninglive!2011 Voices Foundation strong language.
34 East, West, home is best 40 Hearing the Voices of Creation Music teaching in the UK and South A creative multimedia resource on East Asia compared understanding faiths and the Next issue published in October 2011 36 Instrumental partnerships environment through poetry, Subscribe to Music Education UK Yamaha’s music education work prayer, story, dance and music at www.musiceducationuk.com
Music Education UK magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationuk.com 3 ! ow e n in or “I believe out of all the music education organisations you are best nl s f al o ate rm k l r -fo oo cia on tes B pe N a placed to really serve teachers and the ‘industry’ as a whole.” S ry/ leg a de rim r P cto se musiclearninglive!2011 delegate musiclearninglive!2012 The fifth national musiclearninglive conference is the first in London
March 12 & 13 2012 (Mon & Tue) Institute of Education, London
Jude Kelly KEYNOTE SPEAKERS James Frankel
Jude Kelly is Artistic Director of Britain’s largest cultural James Frankel is an Adjunct Faculty member at Teachers institution, Southbank Centre and former Chair of Culture College Columbia University where he teaches courses and Education for London 2012. on music technology.
Jude is an award-winning theatre director. After founding He is a widely published author with books including Battersea Arts Centre she joined the RSC then took over Teaching Classroom Music in the Keyboard Lab, The the helm at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. As both Artistic Teachers’ Guide to Music, Media & Copyright Law & (as Director and CEO of the country’s largest regional co-author) YouTube in Music Education. He is Managing theatre, she established a popular ‘centre of excellence’. Director of SoundTree which provides music, audio and video technology solutions for educators. Among her many successes in theatre, Jude’s production of Singin’ in the Rain transferred to the Royal National Before taking the helm at SoundTree, he was the Theatre and won an Olivier for Outstanding Musical Production. She also directed Ian instrumental and general music teacher at the Franklin Avenue Middle School in Franklin McKellen in The Seagull, Patrick Stewart in Johnson over Jordan and Dawn French in Lakes, New Jersey for 11 of his nearly 15 years in New Jersey Public Schools. When We Are Married. He is on the Board of Directors for the Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME) Jude left Yorkshire to found METAL, an artistic ‘laboratory’. It provides a platform for and is the current president of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction (ATMI). collaborations between art forms and strategic projects which affect the built environment, In addition to his writing, Dr Frankel is a highly sought-after speaker and clinician at local, people and communities. national, and international music education events.
Jude represents Britain on cultural matters at UNESCO. She has also jointly chaired the musiclearninglive!2012 includes a strand focussing on music technology Curricula Advisory Committee on Arts and Creativity with Lord Puttnam. Currently, she sits on in education. the cultural board at LOCOG, following her chairmanship of the culture team at London 2012.
About the conference
musiclearninglive! conferences are for EVERYONE involved in music education and the richness and diversity of the programmes reflect that.
You’ll find hands-on workshops, live performances, case study presentations, inspiring keynotes and controversial panel discussions – combined with plenty of time to network and meet new colleagues.
In 2012, we’re coming to London for the first time. We are delighted to welcome as keynote speakers For further information – including details of special Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of the South Bank Early Bird offers, travel and accommodation – and to Centre and, from New Jersey, the dynamic music technology education specialist, James Frankel. register online, please visit our website:
We also have strands focussing on world music, innovation through partnership, community music, jazz and music education in South East Asia. www.mll2012.com
musiclearninglive!2012 is presented by Music Education UK | Zone New Media, Innovation Centre, Broad Quay, Bath BA1 1UD, UK | +44 (0)20 3303 0888 LA or were in some cases just Music Service Plans. The 2009 plans which
www.musiceducationzone.net Music Education UK Editorial
elcome to the launch edition of Music Education UK through private tutors) and limited choice in type, genre and magazine! After 10 years and 21 issues of Zone method of music-making’. Wmagazine, we thought we’d celebrate with a new name and a sparkling makeover. We hope you’ll agree the new name is Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom as choral leader and forest apposite in the sense that the magazine now ‘does what it says on whisperer, Su Hart, and jazz musician and Royal Welsh College of the tin’ (Zone was great and we’re still published by Zone New Media Music and Drama tutor, Huw Warren, make clear in our regular but it was difficult for newcomers to find us on the net). As we’re features A Day in the Life (page 16) and Q & A (page 32). Add to that expanding into other territories (Singapore this year and Malaysia in a vibrant look at what’s on offer at Bristol’s brand new World Stage 2012), it seemed like the perfect time to make the change. Festival in July 2011 (page 18) and we hope you’ll agree that as long as music retains its ability to excite and inspire, there’s a lot to be Makeover-wise, we’ve gone for a cleaner layout with news and said for working in the music education sector. events published principally online at www.musiceducationuk.com. We’re publishing on iPad from September 2011 and you’ll be able On that note, I’d like to finish with two quotes. to find this and future editions of the magazine in the iTunes Store. László Nemes, Director of Hungary’s world-famous Kodály Institute, We’ve also introduced a digital learning supplement, The centre gave a keynote speech (published here on page 29) at this year’s point, edited by Music Technology Consultant for Hertfordshire musiclearninglive! conference in which he quoted Zoltán Kodály: Music Service, Tim Hallas. As well as his work for Hertfordshire, Tim writes a column for Music Tech magazine and is working on a book ‘What is the most important prerequisite for achieving success in on the practical use of technology in music education. In this first the study of music? I can answer that question with a single word: supplement, Tim reviews the Korg Monotron synthesiser (page 24) singing. But I can say it over and over again, three times if you like, and introduces regular feature The Apptitude Test in which he looks singing, singing, singing again.’ at what’s available for music educators in the world of Apps (page 26). We also have articles by Charanga Music’s Mark Burke on Su Hart’s description of her 20 years ‘on and off’ singing with digital ABRSM Music Medals (page 22) and Brian Duncan on music African forest dwellers, the Baka (page 16), includes the following: technology for the beginner (page 21). ‘From the first time I heard the women’s spiritual singing, I could Meanwhile, you’ll no doubt be wondering why there’s a burning not forget the shimmering sound, the yodel that cuts through the skeleton playing keyboards on the cover of the magazine. All is forest at night, giving women power and crucial for the success of revealed in Marc Jaffrey’s article Apocalypse now? (page 12) in the hunt. These vocal expressions are the oldest in the world.’ which he argues that ‘the music education sector is standing on a burning platform’. Things appear to be particularly gloomy in For me, these quotes sum up the essence of music education as Wales where, as Anita Holford reports in her article Music the encouragement of the expression of self – timeless, uplifting education in Wales: A warning for England (page 8), it’s ‘likely that and universal. you’ll face the ‘worst-case scenario’ of poor or little music-making Cathy Tozer in class, having to pay for lessons through school (or perhaps only Editor
Editor Cathy Tozer Publisher Ian Clethero Music education conferences [email protected] [email protected] Follow us on UK: musiclearninglive!2012 Digital Learning Editor Tim Hallas Subscriptions & distribution Ian Singleton March 12 & 13, Institute of [email protected] [email protected] Education, London musiceduk mll2012.com Contributors Print & digital advertising Robert Ahwai, Mark Burke, [email protected] UK: musiclearninglive!2013 Richard Crozier, Brian Duncan, Asia-Pacific representative February/March 2013 Rachael Groom, Su Hart, Ian Harvey, Music Education UK is published by Zone New Media Asia Pte Limited musiceducationuk.com Anita Holford, Marc Jaffrey, Zone New Media Limited 19 Ubi Crescent Bill Martin, Ruth McCartney, Innovation Centre, Broad Quay Singapore 408577 Singapore: musiclearninglive!2013 László Nemes, Diane Widdison, Bath BA1 1UK, UK musiceducationsg.com July 2013 Huw Warren, Christine Wrigley Telephone: +44 (0)20 3303 0888 [email protected] musiceducationsg.com
Music Education UK magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationuk.com 5 NEWS
Mayor launches London music education fund Award for Sing Up Up dramatically change the culture of singing in our Primary schools for Sing Up, the National Singing the better. This award is for all of Programme, has won the annual those people as we look forward to a Royal Philharmonic Society bright future for music in our education award. schools.’ www.singup.org At a ceremony held at London's www.rpsmusicawards.com Dorchester Hotel on 10 May 2011, the award was presented to Programme Director, Baz Chapman Singapore magazine launch by international pianist Imogen Cooper CBE. The ceremony featured Music Education UK’s sister a performance by Sing Up Platinum publication, Music Education Sg, School, St Mary’s RC Primary. will launch in Singapore in July. The magazine, which includes Baz Chapman said: ‘We are contributions from teachers, The Mayor of London, Boris discipline and, importantly, providing absolutely thrilled to win the students, parents, musicians and Johnson, has announced a new a source of invaluable self expres- education award and would like to education organisations in Singa- music charity to boost music sion, personal enjoyment and life- congratulate all the nominees in the pore and South East Asia, is the education for children in London. enhancing career options. If a young category. We believe that singing is a first part of a Music Education Hub The Mayor of London’s Fund for Londoner has a talent for music and key part of the foundation of all for Singapore and is the only pub- Young Musicians (MFYM) will the commitment to progress, I want music-making and learning. Tens of lication of its kind in the region. The provide children who have them to be able to do so regardless thousands of individuals and project has already attracted local significant musical talent and of their starting point. The Mayor’s organisations across the country – and international sponsorship. The commitment with outstanding Fund for London's Young Musicians teachers, head teachers, vocal full Music Education Sg Hub will be opportunities. Born out of the will help to make this not just an tutors, young singing leaders, launched in October, adding online, Mayor’s Music Education Strategy, aspiration but a reality for those who parents, schools, Music Services social media and mobile platforms the charity is a key strand of The could otherwise be overlooked.’ and community music organisations to the printed magazine. Mayor’s Cultural Strategy and is in as well as our outstanding staff line with the recommendations in http://mfym.org.uk teams – agree and have helped Sing www.musiceducationsg.com the recently published Henley Review of Music Education. 400 7-11-year-olds across 33 RWCMD to open new £22.5m facilities that I could only have dreamed of London boroughs will be awarded when I entered the profession. They four-year music scholarships This summer sees the opening of north, providing first-class facilities will beckon talented young people through MFYM, providing them with new £22.5 million facilities at the for the college, attracting new from around the world to study in an outstanding chance to progress Royal Welsh College of Music & audiences to performances and Wales. When these emerging artists their music education through: Drama. The landmark development, masterclasses and increasing op- step into the professional world, they • small group instrumental tuition which began construction in the portunities for local performing arts can be confident that they have • access to instruments and summer of 2009, includes: organisations to promote their work. been prepared to the highest level.’ Saturday music school • the 450-capacity Dora Stoutzker Campaign patron Bryn Terfel said: • individual mentoring Hall (see photo) for rehearsals, 'These are state-of-the-art facilities www.rwcmd.ac.uk • regular performances public recitals and masterclasses There will also be opportunities for • the 160-seat Richard Burton around 10,000 children up to the Theatre age of 18 to enhance their music • an exhibition gallery to display the education by working alongside college’s theatre and costume professional musicians. This designs ‘Partnership’ scheme is an extension • four new full-sized, double-height of an existing GLA pilot project. acting and movement studios • a new ‘front door’ to the college Launching the initiative at a opening onto a central foyer and reception on 12 May, Boris Johnson performance spaces said: ‘Music can transform the lives • a new café bar and outdoor of young people from all terrace overlooking Bute Park backgrounds, enriching the mind, The development will mark a new teaching valuable skills and gateway to Cardiff City from the
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A review of music education in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government was published last December. Can it make up for years of stagnation in the sector? Anita Holford reports.
f you’re at Primary school in Wales at the than five years now, since the Welsh Assembly music leaders and performers – including Bryn moment, your likelihood of being able to Government’s (WAG’s) Music Development Fund Terfel, rock band Super Furry Animals, Kathryn Iparticipate in music will depend on where you (MDF) was slashed and ring-fencing removed Jenkins, Karl Jenkins, Alun Hoddinott and harpists live and how much money your parents have. If (see box, page 11). An evaluation in 2006 by Catrin Finch and Elinor Bennett. The letter said that sounds similar to most of the UK, sadly, in that the signatories could not sit by while youth Wales, it’s far more likely that you’ll face the ‘worst- if the music education world in England is music in Wales ‘stagnates and dies’ and called on case scenario’ of poor or little music-making in ‘fragmented and uncoordinated’, it’s even worse the Welsh Assembly Government to write a ‘music class, having to pay for lessons through school (or in Wales. manifesto’ for Wales. perhaps only through private tutors) and limited choice in type, genre and method of music-making. Estyn, the education inspection body in Wales, ‘Nothing happened for a couple of years,’ says You may be lucky enough to be in a place where reported that as a result of the Fund, there were Braithwaite. ‘But then Jane Hutt, then Education Minister, agreed to meet with us.’ As a result, in September 2009, the Minister announced a review of music education for 3-19 year olds, led by Emyr Wynne Jones, School Improvement Officer for Carmarthenshire County Council (a former music advisor and Chair of Cagac, the Welsh authorities’ Music Services association). Membership of the advisory group consisted of teachers, represent- atives from higher education, Music Services, two youth orchestras, Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the organisation for young Welsh speakers), the Arts Council of Wales (ACW), Estyn and WAG.
The review gives a clear and strong message about the effects of the lack of strategic direction and underfunding, pointing to huge inequalities in provision, fragmented and over-complex delivery, no national entitlement for access to instrumental/vocal tuition or other music-making and, according to ACW (Children’s Omnibus Student DJ. Photo courtesy of TAPE Community Music and Film Ltd Survey 2008), a widening gap in participation there is high-quality, and varied provision, thanks more pupils taking part in a wider range of music levels between social economic groups ABC1 to enlightened Local Authorities or grant-funded activities, more pupils taking music GCSE and and C2DE. It outlines a national vision ‘to music projects (although these are rare). But impacts were being felt beyond school. But it address the inequalities and uncertainties and otherwise, it’s the proverbial ‘postcode lottery’ of reported that nearly all Local Authorities were achieve greater co-ordination and coherence’. ‘patchy provision’. It makes a dismal story of now making cuts in provision and, in some Local Authorities snaffling away money for cases, specialist tuition had stopped altogether. So far, so good. The vision (that WAG has children’s music-making as a result of the accepted) covers both Music Services and removal of ring-fencing. And if the music At around the same time, Helena Braithwaite community/informal music-making, mentioning education world in England is ‘fragmented and MBE, former music advisor for South Glamorgan entitlement to a ‘broad range’ of experiences, an uncoordinated’ (Henley Review, February 2010), County Council (also BBC National Orchestra of ‘effective structure of co-ordinated partnerships’ it’s even worse in Wales. Wales’ first education officer), organised a letter and a ‘flexibility of approach to cater for the diverse to First Minister Rhodri Morgan. It was signed by range of abilities and interests of young people’. The situation has been deteriorating for more more than 30 of Wales’ most prominent teachers, It also recognises that that there’s a ‘lack of co-
8 Music Education UK magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationuk.com ordination and joined-up thinking between showing that there’s a lot of disparity here. But it would look honestly at how music education is statutory providers and community organisa- isn’t fully representative of the whole music facilitated across the board, because instead of tions’ and a need for ‘a more strategic approach education community.’ Cardiff Council is one of restructuring, the system has been hobbling on, that also recognises demand’. The Review the few councils that has retained the MDF in its just making small adjustments.’ doesn’t, however, suggest how these things might base budget where it’s used for a music be addressed or who should, or could, be development strand of work. Activities range There’s a particularly strong focus on supporting involved. The focus of the report is very much on from rock and pop, samba and steel pans to the national youth ensembles (brass, choir, jazz Music Services and the national youth ensembles singing festivals, music therapy and wider and orchestra). ‘It’s assumed that the national with the rest of the input largely from classical opportunities-style, whole class instrumental ensembles are the pinnacle of achievement for music organisations (BBC National Orchestra of work and funding has also been secured from all young musicians,’ continues Coulthard. ‘In Wales, Welsh National Opera, Sinfonia Cymru) commercial partners. Coulthard believes that the Cardiff, the numbers involved in keyboard, guitar, and other major players such as Royal Welsh review doesn’t go far enough in encouraging electric guitar and world music are rising rapidly College of Music and Drama. other Music Services to adopt a broader and it’s important that these pupils have an approach and opening the way for new equal opportunity not just to access but to As Emma Coulthard, Music Development Officer partnerships: ‘It doesn’t put in place anything achieve the same level of excellence.’ for Cardiff County and Vale of Glamorgan Music that’s going to create change… I’d hoped that, Service, points out: ‘The review was helpful in out of the reviews in Wales and England, people continues on page 11
Arts Active Musicmix project. Photo: Chris Dawson
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Emyr Wynne Jones is aware of the gaps: ‘We would accept that we didn’t consult as widely as we’d have liked to have done. We were working within limited resources and a limited timescale. Even some Music Services felt they weren’t properly represented. We would definitely have liked to have consulted more widely and to look into things in more detail.’
Although the focus is on safeguarding Music Services, one of the review’s boldest recommendations is to ‘rationalise the number’ of Services to ‘safeguard funding for learners and improve equality of access’. Currently, ten LAs in Wales have their own Music Service; eleven operate shared services for up to four authorities and one (Powys) has no Music Service. As Jones points out: ‘This perpetuates the inconsistencies. Wales is a small nation yet we have 14 different models of Music Services.’ He believes that new models of working in education in Wales (four regional consortia have been set up to improve standards and make best use of resources, including looking at ways to share or co-ordinate aspects of their Music Services) will make it
Arts Active Musicmix project. Photo: Chris Dawson Music Services funding in Wales easier for those outside Music Services/Local decline. We need money in the short-term – Authorities to make their voices heard. There’s otherwise, music will become something Late 1980s/early 1990s likely to be one music representative per available only to those who can afford it.’ • Eight Welsh counties reorganised into 22 consortium who will network and co-ordinate for unitary authorities – smaller counties found it that area, which Jones believes offers an With recent education assessment results (Pisa) hard to provide similar levels of Music alternative to the regional music education Hubs placing Wales below average compared with 67 Services. model proposed for England. other countries, schools, Local Authorities and • Local financial management of schools WAG are now desperate to raise standards of introduced – smaller budgets for music were WAG’s response (published quietly, along with literacy and numeracy. In this scenario, perhaps delegated to schools and weren’t ring-fenced. the review, with no official press release) appears fighting to save the status quo is all that can be to accept most of the recommendations – but hoped for. But as Emma Coulthard says, ‘It’s not 1999–2003 there are very few concrete commitments and no just about money, it’s about the philosophy of • £8 million Music Development Fund suggestion of any form of overall plan or strategy. music education and what it’s trying to achieve, established with funding from WAG and the Says Braithwaite: ‘The response from WAG was and about bringing together all the stakeholders Arts Council. Given to Local Authority Music shocking. At the moment, it seems unlikely that to make the best of all of their areas of expertise. Services over four years and ring-fenced. anything will come from it. The MDF showed what Music Services are a tremendous resource that a relatively small amount of funding can achieve could form the basis for new ways of working.’ 2004–5 and it enabled Music Services to broaden their • Fund extended but cut by 40 per cent. provision. It would be tragic if we weren’t able to • Money was transferred to Local Authorities give the same opportunities to our young people About the author and ring-fencing withdrawn. as they have in other parts of Britain.’ Anita Holford is a writer and communications practitioner specialising in working with organisations 2009–11 Jones’ biggest concern is the lack of action from with a social, public or creative purpose, particularly • Review of music education in Wales WAG. Three months after the review was in music. announced. published, a report from BBC Wales suggested T: +44 (0)1600 713758 • CânSing launched – a two-year, £500,000 that £500,000 has been cut from Music Service E: [email protected] pilot programme to provide training to help budgets since the review was published. ‘By the www.writing-services.co.uk Primary and Secondary teachers to teach time the report was in the public domain, the www.twitter.com/anitanee singing. information was already 12 months out of date and it described a deteriorating situation. The A version of this article was first published in Dec 2010 picture is much worse now... When Jane Hutt Sounding Board, the journal of community music • Review of music education in Wales gave us the remit, she said we would need to published by Sound Sense. published, along with WAG’s response. work within existing resources and we did. But www.soundsense.org now something needs to be done to arrest the
Mzounsei cm Eadguaczaitnieo nd iUgKit aml aegdaitzioinne 0: 1S u/m mmaer r2 2001101 © | zmonues incedwu mcaetdioian u2k0.c1o0m 191 Apocalypse
Marc Jaffrey has 25 years’ experience as a creative leader of high-impact campaigns, recently championing the Music Manifesto – one of the most successful arts education campaigns in UK history. It gained a record £332 million of new investment in music education and created a range of landmark music programmes including Sing Up! He was awarded an OBE in 2010 for services to music education.
12 Music Education UK magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationuk.com now? The music education sector is standing on a burning platform. 2011 will be a critical year in the history of music education in England – one where music educators will either work together determinedly to put the fires out and build a more sustainable education platform... or fade, argues Marc Jaffrey.
Unprecedented pressures from public sector cuts of lifelong skills alongside musical ones. Without and education reforms, combined with the the obligation to ensure music in the Primary and possible removal of music from the National Secondary curriculum, it is widely predicted that a Curriculum, threaten to overwhelm the music majority of schools would be likely to drop music sector’s half-baked intentions to ‘do more by from the timetable. working together’. sensible call for ‘local hubs’ and ‘partnership If music falls away as an academic subject at the working’ between local music educators to To many, this will appear an unreasonably gloomy heart of the curriculum, this will set off a support children, parents and schools. This was a prediction. After all, we have just had a hugely destructive chain reaction. Music will become an central recommendation of the Music Manifesto positive report about the value of music and rooted in the simple idea that hubs should education and those who provide it from the contain the sum total of high-quality and diverse Government’s independent Henley Review. The If I had a pound for every time a music local educators from the formal and non-formal Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, educator has said to me ‘every sectors working in co-ordination to meet those welcomed the report and passionately told people child’s music matters’, I’d be a needs. So far, so good. that they should know the value of music ‘beats rich man. Instead, I’m irate. in his heart’. “ However, when the Music Manifesto called for hubs, it presupposed there was clarity on what a Alongside the Henley Review’s thumbs up for the extra-curricular activity centred on peripatet”ic hub and its partnerships were there specifically to role of music education is the fact that the UK instrumental teachers providing lessons to a do. The only way to provide this clarity is to have a has some of the finest school and instrumental handful of determined pupils with parents who determined view about a child’s social, emotional music teachers, vocal tutors, community music can afford to pay. The loss of whole class music and academic needs and how music can aid their educators, services for music, orchestras and lessons will weaken demand and make it hard for development. higher education music colleges in the world. Music Services and other suppliers of music One might be forgiven for asking, what’s burning? teaching to schools to run viable businesses Yet, with the prospect of a bidding process to win And yet, I can see smoke in three areas. through economies of scale. This currently allows central Government money, there appears to be a range of other activities such as running ‘above much more concern about how to ‘win the bid’ First, Henley stressed music must stay in the school level’ bands right up to County orchestras. and introduce competition in contrast to sensible, curriculum and classroom and find a place in the collegiate conversation about collectively meeting proposed English Baccalaureate, ‘otherwise, Critically, the opportunity for all to access a educational needs. Yet, how can one talk about there is a risk the subject may be devalued’. substantive musical experience will be lost. The hubs and partnerships if this does not happen That may prove to be the understatement of vision, so long cherished and argued for in the first and how does anyone think they are going to the decade. UK, of a school and community music workforce ‘win’ if they can’t? combining to meet a child’s needs will be fatally The Government has noted Henley’s concerns but fractured. A generation of pupil talent will never When I do hear educational needs discussed, it is is obliged to consider it as part of its wider be discovered. often in the most bland and meaningless way. If I curriculum review which is not due to report until had a pound for every time a music educator has next year. With the objective of giving greater Yes, we need reformation of music in schools – I, said to me ‘every child’s music matters’, I’d be a autonomy to schools and specifying only a small for one, would like to see much greater emphasis rich man. Instead, I’m irate. number of non-negotiable subjects that the on learning through instrumental and vocal Government deems essential, the signs are not progression and performance – but removal from What does this phrase mean beyond a woolly call good for music. the curriculum, even in its current form, will for the right of music for all children? Fair devastate music education in schools not just enough, but what does the sector specifically Too many head teachers currently see music as a ‘diminish it’ as Henley fears. believe a meaningful educational offer should be ‘nice-to-have’ subject rather than a critical experience for all pupils that can deliver a range Second, I can see smoke rising around Henley’s continues on page 17
Music Education UK magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationuk.com 13 We all know music matters. We take it where it matters.
Training local people to run high impact music programmes for vulnerable children and adults around the world. To make a £5 donation text MasT11 £5 t: 020 7735 3231 to 70070 e: [email protected] www.musicastherapy.org “ To get off a burning platform, you need a plan and to work
together to realise it. A safe and
sustainable future is not beyond
our reach even now.
continued from page 15 ”cohesive professional body to champion the enough by everyone with strategic purpose, workforce and children’s needs. There are over together. Lose this battle and momentum will be to our most talented children, to children with 150 professional associations and a handful of fatally lost. special education needs, to those disengaged national bodies who on their own represent only from learning and school and for a majority sitting a minority of the workforce. 2) Ensure that the Government’s National Plan for in the middle just getting by? Music is specific in its requirement to evidence I’ve grown tired pointing out the limitations and music educational needs for key groups of All I’ve seen is a valuable pyramid of need in the what a let-down this is to the wider workforce and children (gifted and talented, special needs etc) Henley Review. However, I imagine its author children. I know many in the current associations and ensure bidders evidence how they will be met would expect it to be fully developed by have valiantly tried but we simply have to do specifically. educators. Is this happening? Maybe the Arts better. A strong national body that had parents, Council’s new ‘bridge’ organisations can step up school music teachers, head teachers and wider I’ve little doubt that if this is done, the need for and help. If the music education sector does not child development and educational experts partnerships will be self-evident. As it was when start to champion children’s needs more alongside community and instrumental musicians Sing Up was devised – the power of purposeful, specifically, there is a very real danger it will be and tutors would go a long way to seeing off the needs-led partnerships is summed up in 95% of left to politicians and civil servants to decide. I threats I have discussed. If we can’t work together Primary schools being involved in the campaign. doubt they want to. to make this happen, what hope is there of That is an example worth replicating. working together in hubs locally? You can’t have meaningful hubs and partnerships 3) Listen to parents, children and the wider without clarity on needs and purpose. ‘Working To get off a burning platform, you need a plan and school workforce and evolve the vision of services together for the benefit of children’ won’t cut it to work together to realise it. A safe and sustain- and hubs in response. when you’re talking to a parent or head teacher. able future is not beyond our reach even now. Is there a conspiracy of silence, one that supports Children need music education. They face an the status quo? Because, when you ask tough So, here are a few things I’d offer for inclusion in uncertain future and it provides them with artistry questions of the sector about how successful they a plan. and skills that make them resilient, adaptive and are in delivering music education to our most emotionally evolved to face it. Children need the vulnerable children, you mainly get a lot of 1) Sell music’s value to senior school leaders and sector to champion this with the urgency of those shuffling of feet. get them to champion the value of music in the who really find themselves on a burning platform. classroom and school community. For instance, how many music education In situations like this, the real leaders stand out providers can hand-on-heart evidence, right now, They can also help put pressure on the Secretary and only strong teams win the day. Stand up and that they are working with the majority of children of State to ‘keep music in’. But even if the let’s get to it. in care in their locality, have teachers that can obligation is dropped, they can choose to keep it teach notation to children with dyslexia or can in. The sector just needs a majority of heads to provide music therapists to special schools? Some commit to this to significantly influence their own Marc Jaffrey OBE is a director of Think Again Media, is not enough in my book. But those of you who destiny. This should be a campaign on the scale an agency that provides expert support on are, stand tall and tell us what needs to be done. of the Music Manifesto. communication, people development and change management. Third, a fire has been raging for some time There is some brilliant work being done by www.thinkagainmedia.co.uk around the inability of the sector to provide a providers and a few national bodies – but not Children from Sing Up, the National Singing Programme
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