PARENT GUIDE TO MUSIC EDUCATION Music Case 83% of students say that Music Case is an e ective tool to improve their practice #Practiceimproved and progress abrsm.org/musiccase Download the free app today! ABRSM supports the teaching and learning of music in partnership with the Royal Schools of Music. www.abrsm.org /abrsm @abrsm ABRSM YouTube 0_PGME_2019-20.indd 2 29/07/2019 14:1714:37 CONTENTS Getting started FURTHER & HIGHER EDUCATION Contents Buying an instrument Higher education choices Contents Supporting instrument learning LISTINGS Conservatoires Questions for private teachers Universities Questions for open days Further and Higher Education Colleges Scholarships for Teacher Training Courses A guide to music hubs INSET Courses Top music departments Specialist Courses SPECIALIST SCHOOLS Summer Schools and Short Courses Specialist schools Scholarships Grants and LISTINGS Private Funding Bodies Specialist Music Schools Specialist Choir Schools EXTRACURRICULAR Junior conservatoires opportunities INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS Extracurricular activities Independent schools round up LISTINGS LISTINGS Extracurricular Independent Secondary Preparatory and Junior Schools First published in 2012 in Great Britain by Rhinegold Publishing Ltd, 20 Rugby Street, London, WC1N 3QZ Tel: 020 7333 1733 Editor Cameron Bray © MA Education 2019 Designer Hal Bannister All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored Listings Manager Paul Creber in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, Contributors Sarah Lambie, Fiona Lau, Miriam Levenson, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior Murray McLachlan, Johanna McWeeney, Rhian Morgan, Claudine permission of Mark Allen Group. Nightingale, George Slater-Walker, Alex Stevens, Clare Stevens, Andrew Stewart and Christopher Walters Rhinegold Publishing Ltd has used its best efforts in collecting and preparing material for inclusion in the Parent Guide to Music Education Production Controller Leandro Linares 2019–20. It does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the Parent Guide NP12 2YA to Music Education 2019–20, whether such errors or omissions result from Produced by MA Education Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Rd, negligence, accident or any other cause. London SE24 0PB, UK The presence of listings and advertisements in the Parent Guide to Music Education 2019–20 implies no endorsement of products or services offered. PARENT GUIDE TO MUSIC EDUCATION TRINITY LABAN CONSERVATOIRE OF MUSIC & DANCE Saturday School for talented young musicians aged 3–19 based at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Greenwich / Broad curriculum including individual lessons, choirs, orchestras and chamber music with highly experienced staff / GCSE and A Level Music and Music Technology / Distance Learning A Level / Performances at prestigious London concert halls FIND OUT MORE INCLUDING OPEN DAY DATES: TRINITYLABAN.AC.UK/JUNIORTRINITY FOLLOW US ON: /TRINITYLABAN Photo: Belinda Lawley 0_PGME_2019-20.indd 4 29/07/2019 14:38 WELCOME Parent Guide to Music Education Contents WELCOME to the Parent Guide to Music Education, a free digital resource from the Mark Allen Group designed for parents who recognise the importance of music education. Based on the fact that you are reading this guide, I would wager that you have an appreciation of the many benefits that music education can offer your child. At Music Teacher, we believe that that access to creativity is a fundamental right of every person, and that music offers a wonderful opportunity for self-expression. We are also keenly aware of the many barriers that people face when trying to access music-making opportunities, such as access to funding, lack of regional opportunities, or disabilities. This guide should help you to bridge some of those gaps, making you aware of the many opportunities which are already in existence. Within these pages, I am certain that you will find a path into music that meets the needs of both you and your child. Whether you are completely new to the world of music or are looking for the best advice on issues such as buying instruments, finding a teacher, helping your child to progress or gaining a music scholarship, this short publication should help you to do the best for your child. There is information on how to advance beyond school and private lessons; to develop musically, socially and professionally through specialist music institutions, extra-curricular activities; and to train at the highest level at conservatoire or university – alongside more than 100 pages of listings information. If you find any mistakes in the listings, or if there’s a subject you’d like us to cover and you think we should feature you, your school, or your organisation, please get in touch at [email protected]. Cameron Bray Editor, Music Teacher magazine Head of Content, Music & Drama Education Expo PARENT GUIDE TO MUSIC EDUCATION GETTING STARTED Getting started The many ways to provide your child with a musical education can be daunting, particularly if you weren’t involved in music yourself when growing up. But what are the basics, and, if your child does show musical interest, what are the options? Below is a guide to the various ways in which music education can take place, and how you and your family can navigate through it Dmytro Vietrovå One of the great things about music is that it can enrich a learner’s life from the very start and, regardless of the technical level reached, it will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Music is a great tool for working with young children, and is used in playgroups and nurseries across the world. A child’s musical journey could start with a lullaby and end with playing at Glastonbury or conducting orchestras at concert halls around the world – but it could be just as enriching if it simply meant making new friends in the school jazz band, taking a guitar out of its case twice a year for the rest of their life, or joining a community choir at 70. There can be a fine balance between encouraging a musical interest because of the benefits you know it will bring, and pushing a child down a route which they do not want to go down – and will not ever gain very much from. Starting out Learning the piano is a great way The first time a child hears music could have been in the of developing musicianship womb, and as a parent you might have provided the first experience of live music by singing a lullaby. But their first to classroom music – but this is also when the possibility of experience of more formal music-making is likely to be at a instrumental tuition may arise, perhaps in the form of playgroup and nursery. If they come home singing the group lessons on a simple instrument such as the recorder. songs they’ve learned that day, maybe they’ll be interested In England, so-called ‘first access’ programmes are in doing more in future. generally introduced in junior school (Key Stage 2). Usually Much musical development takes place in these early run by a music specialist from outside the school who is years, and there are many specialist teachers who facilitate likely to be brought in through the school’s local music music groups for young children (details of these can be education hub (see page 17 for more on hubs), first access found from page 135). At this stage, children will be lessons will normally involve weekly whole-class tuition for developing musical skills including learning about rhythm, a minimum of a term. These can take place in a variety of melody, listening, and playing together. If this is styles and instruments, from samba or African drumming something that you think your child might enjoy – an to recorder, ukulele, violin or even brass instruments outlet for their constant singing around the house or (plastic trombones and trumpets have become popular in rhythmic drumming on any surface in sight, perhaps – recent years). then see if any of the listed providers run sessions near What’s known as ‘progression’ from schemes like this – you, or ask locally for recommendations. what happens next for children who show an aptitude and interest – is a big issue in music education. The situation Primary challenge can vary from school to school, county to county and Music lessons of some kind should be part of your child’s country to country. Once it has become clear that your child curriculum when they start primary school. This is another would enjoy continuing their music education, the variety time when you might be able to identify whether they are of ways in which this can be provided begins to increase. particularly interested in music – and you may also get feedback from teachers. Instruments and development Singing is likely to continue being one of the main ways Musical development is about much more than becoming in which music takes place at infant school, from assemblies technically proficient at playing an instrument. Music is a 6 PARENT GUIDE TO MUSIC EDUCATION GETTING STARTED language and an artform, and to be able to speak it fully it If you or your child are keen to start with a particular is important to understand how it works. instrument that isn’t provided through school, or if you One of the best ways of learning how music works is by would like them to have one-to-one lessons outside school learning the piano. Piano teachers are often particularly hours, this is an excellent model of tuition that will match used to teaching beginners and younger children, up perfectly to what many people’s ideas of what the because keyboard skills, however basic, prove useful in phrase ‘music lessons’ means.