The government plan for music education landed the morning after I had organised an instrument zoo and open rehearsal for primary school children in my local area. It was the morning of the school fete, where the choir were to sing beautifully and the orchestra were to struggle because of the wind. A Saturday. In a very busy term for music teachers. I was tired and a bit grumpy and the strap line of the report made me bristle.
I do think music has the power to change lives but it’s not the only thing. Kids can kick a football out of poverty or be good at maths, be the next David Walliums, or be an amazing scientist and develop a cure for llama pox. If music’s only function is to cure societies ills then what happens to its value when it fails to do that? The government’s ‘case studies’ had been drip-feeding into the news for days. Adults who had grown up on council estates and been part of a large orchestral project and were now studying music.
“Has music changed your life?” they were asked.
“Oh yes, absolutely. Without music I can’t imagine where I’d be.”
It’s a lot of pressure to put on one subject.
Now that I’ve read the report I’m less grumpy. There is a will (and some money) to improve music education and none of it sounds terrible to me.
It uses phrases like ‘music should be part of a broad and balanced curriculum’ and ‘singing should be the golden thread that runs through the heart of every primary school’. The aim is to allow children of all ages backgrounds and abilities to make music together (I’m not sure where I’ve heard this before *winks sarcastically*
It will be interesting to see if it makes much difference.
I’ve already used some of the funding to do my bit. Funding applications are tricky and time consuming and then the money comes in a week before the even you have planned, causing impossible stress. I couldn’t have worked harder to get music to change lives and I couldn’t have done that without the help from people I have built up good relationships with over many years. The funding allowed me to pay some professional musicians, get some instruments, have leaflets designed and printed and get a new laptop for our orchestra. It didn’t pay me or any of the volunteers.
It was fabulous to see 91 people getting the chance to enjoy music; actually joining in and not just watching.
But would I want to put myself through that kind of stress again? Not in a hurry, despite its obvious success. And that’s the problem. Music teachers who have put themselves out time and time again only to be sacked from a paid job visiting schools and showing instruments because the latest fad is to spend money on computer programmes are less likely to want to try again. I struggled to get teachers for my event and they would say things like, “It’s not worth it. Last time I did an open day only three people turned up.”
New musicians just out of college can’t afford to work for nothing. If they want to pay the mortgage they might need to get a proper job.
The next lot of funding I apply for might be used just to buy some instruments.
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