How Norfolk’s Echoes of the East is helping young people find their voice
INSTRUMENTAL TEACHING
A new book exploring perspectives and challenges
INCLUSIVE MUSIC PROVISION
The Music Partnership share their hub’s approach to inclusion
BUILDING MUSICAL CONFIDENCE
The results of a brand new research study at two different music hubs
HYPER-ENGAGED AUDIENCES
Take inspiration from Taylor Swift to cultivate your audience
THE POWER OF MUSIC
How Arts Council England is supporting music education
DIVERSIFYING THE CURRICULUM
Exploring Bollywood-inspired music projects from across England
FromtheEditor
I’m delighted to welcome you to the very first issue of Music Hubs & Services Magazine! I hope you will find lots of inspiration from within these pages whether you work for a music hub or a music service, as a teacher, manager, leader or administrator!
I’m grateful to all those who have contributed to this first issue, especially our advertisers whose support has ensured that we can provide this publication free-to-read for everyone
I realise it was a tight turnaround to submit content for this issue, but I’m hoping that many more of you will want to share your submissions for issue number 2, which has a much longer lead-in time! You can send your submissions for consideration to admin@musiceducationsolutions co uk at any point between now and 28th February 2025.
DrLizStafford
EDITOR
NORFOLK & SUFFOLK MUSIC HUB
A beautiful wall of sound
How Norfolk’s Echoes of the East is helping young people find their voice
Norfolk & Suffolk Music Hub has been paving the way in helping the region’s young vocalists find their voices through its showcase vocal group, Echoes of the East
Working with world-renowned arranger, choir director and vocal coach Mark DeLisser, those in full time education aged 13 to 19 have the opportunity to work together as a group and produce four songs arranged by Mark, culminating in a Music for Youth national performance in July 2024.
During the first year of the project, hosted exclusively then by Norfolk Music Hub, 130 young people from seven secondary schools across the county united to create incredible vocal arrangements and musical performances by harnessing their talents for music.
Alongside coaching and live performances, Echoes of the East offers additional opportunities to help young people flourish. One young person was able to work with Mark to become conductor of the group arrangement, which Esme, from Broadland High Ormiston Academy, embraced to help develop her leadership skills.
Most notably, the project also offers young asylum seekers the chance to learn beatboxing by taking part in a workshop with DJ and producer Midé Naike. The opportunity was grasped with both hands by a young man cared for by Solace Partnerships in Norfolk, who continued his development with one-to-one coaching and then joined Echoes of the East to collaborate on one of their songs
Embarking on their musical journey in March 2024, Echoes of the East, accompanied by players from Norfolk Music Service County Ensembles, took to the stage for their debut performance during the Music for Youth regional heats in Halesworth Here they wowed the audience and mentors with Mark’s arrangements of songs including A Sky Full of Stars, Higher and Higher and Together.
that the group fully immersed themselves in both the music and performance, incorporating great synchronised moves while playing to deliver a truly engaging show Mark De-Lisser said: “Echoes of the East is an incredibly important choir. It brings together different schools from across Norfolk to create what can only be described as a truly beautiful wall of sound.
“It gives the students the platform to do something collectively that is so incredibly positive and powerful. No matter what background, culture or belief, there is nothing better than seeing our young people uniting to show how impactful we can all be when we work together ”
Their performance was met with rapturous applause and amazing feedback from the mentors, who said
Rachel Salton, Head of Music at Lynn Grove Academy, added: “Before working with Echoes of the East, I thought the biggest highlight would be working with Mark De Lisser It certainly was that, but also so much more From singing with other schools and contributing to accessible, inclusive, fun, three-part vocal arrangements, to singing with a live band, solo opportunities and performing on huge stages across the country, it has truly been the highlight of the year for us. All this along with the camaraderie, fun and confidencebuilding has been incredible.”
In the following weeks, the vocal group was delighted to be selected to perform at Music for Youth’s National Festival in July this year. Echoes of the East performed at Birmingham Town Hall, and despite many of the young people having already left school or further education, they reunited for another rehearsal and made the determined journey from all corners of Norfolk to Birmingham.
Echoes of the East has provided Norfolk’s young people the opportunity to shine by forging new friendships and sharing moments of post-performance euphoria. The feeling of togetherness was reflected by Andy Goff, Managing Director of Solace Partnerships, who remarked that the experience had provided his young asylum seeker with huge confidence and helped him integrate into a new society in Norfolk.
Christian Hollyoake, Drummer for Norfolk Music Service Band, said:
“Playing with Echoes of the East has been an unforgettable experience I have enjoyed working with the schools and performers to blend diverse musical traditions into something truly unique.”
Alison Brain, Head of Service for Music Service and the Music Hub at Norfolk County Council, concluded: “Echoes of the East has been an incredible opportunity for the young people of Norfolk to come together and unite in song. Being invited to perform in the Music for Youth National Festival has enabled them to showcase their talents on a national stage, not only highlighting their exceptional musicality but bringing significant benefits for wider personal development.
“Singing together fosters a sense of community, promotes good mental health, and builds confidence Through this programme our young vocalists are developing skills that will benefit them throughout their lives and we are extremely proud to be part of their journey.”
Looking ahead, the group is kickstarting the second year of its project by performing at the prestigious Flourish Awards ceremony in September 2024. The group is also hoping to increase its numbers by extending the opportunity to perform to five additional secondary educational settings regionally across both Norfolk and Suffolk as part of the newly formed Norfolk & Suffolk Music Hub arrangements.
INSTRUMENTAL TEACHING:
Perspectives and Challenges
Nick Beach and Gary Spruce discuss themes from their brand new book for instrumental teachers.
In Chapter 2 of Instrumental Teaching: Perspectives and Challenges, Allsup and Nicholson suggest that in instrumental music education “nothing has changed and everything seems to be moving too fast” Many instrumental and vocal music teachers will recognise this apparent contradiction The context in which instrumental music learning takes place is constantly changing and would be unrecognisable to people from even relatively recent decades Digital streaming, tools for self learning, social media, and an expectation of instant access and delivery have revolutionised the way music is developed and consumed At the same time the challenges of learning an instrument remain broadly the same, and although the content may be different, there is much that a visitor from the 19th century would recognise were they to step into instrumental music lessons around the world
Music education is arguably a well researched field Some of the finest minds in education research have filled periodicals and library shelves with important insights and understandings about music in young people’s lives and the activities of those who support them. What is less clear is how this body of research influences the learning of musical instruments, and how it might bring about development and change. The central aim of Instrumental Teaching: Perspectives and Challenges is to bridge what can be a gap between academic research and teaching practice. In that sense it might be considered as a lens through which all teachers can view their own work, reflecting on their practice and asking how current themes in academic research might support the improvement which, as teachers, we are all seeking.
Under the editorship of Nick Beach and Gary Spruce the book chapters are written by twelve pre-eminent academics and practitioners in the field, some of whom work purely in a research context while others have day to day experience of teaching musical instruments. To bring the content to life each chapter contains activities designed as “research into practice”, inviting the reader to think about the implications of the chapter for their own practice This means that while the book tackles a good deal of academic theory, the implications for practical teaching in the classroom or studio are always to the fore
In order to more deeply understand why instruments are taught the way they are we need to explore something of the history of instrumental teaching, which we do in Chapter 1. The three chapters in this first section concern themselves with how we got to where we are, what instrumental teaching now looks like, and what the main themes in music education research are The historical context is not always comfortable reading, given that the commonly accepted measures of musical progress, the status of the individual lesson and the value attached to different musical genres have many of their roots in 19th century British imperialism. Right from the start the book encourages us to ask questions about whether the structures that underpin music learning are the
most appropriate ones for today, or whether they are merely echoes from an era which has little current relevance To conclude this section, Chapter 3 surveys recent developments in music education research which have particular relevance to learning a musical instrument, providing a list of references which is gold dust to anyone wishing to delve deeper into our field
A central idea in Instrumental Teaching: Perspectives and Challenges is that of putting the learner at the heart of their own learning. This shift in emphasis from ‘what is to be learned’ to ‘who is learning’ is perhaps the greatest difference between the master/ apprentice approaches of the past and more contemporary approaches to instrumental teaching It suggests that the role of the instrumental teacher might not just be to pass on to their students the body of knowledge they hold, but rather it might be to support the learner on their own personal musical journey. The second part of the book considers the nature of musical knowledge, the nature of the learner and the motivation of the latter to engage with the former. We start by exploring what we mean by the often used, and misused, term “musical”, alongside the sometimes challenging concepts of gifted and talented. Then the middle chapter in this section helps us better understand the learner and the stages of development they will go through. Then we come to motivation, and if Chapter 6 contained a formula for encouraging young people to do more practice we would have discovered the Holy Grail and would be able to charge a lot more for the book! But hopefully these three chapters together will help the reader delve a little deeper into what we might mean by student centred learning
The intention of the book was never be a “how to” guide, or to suggest or favour
any particular teaching methodology. So although the third section is titled ‘Practices and Pedagogies,’ it doesn’t propose classroom activities or strategies, but aims to help us dig into the principles which might underpin our approach as teachers. If we accept the notion of learner centred approaches, the four chapters in this section look at some of the pedagogical aspects we will need to consider to make that notion a reality. So perhaps predictably we start with creativity, as it is here that the musician as individual emerges, the thing we all perhaps most want to see in our students. At first glance it might seem strange to include access and inclusion at this point as we often think of this as an organisational, structural or financial issue. But it is vital that we ask questions about the curriculum itself and to what extent it meets the needs of individual students, or alienates them. Social justice and instrumental teaching are often uncomfortable bedfellows but if the benefits of learning an instrument are of value they are of value to everyone Next, we come to assessment, arguing that moment to moment assessment in lessons is a core skill of the instrumental teacher, and that each lesson is packed with assessment opportunities But if we are to be assessors, it is important for us to understand that our assessment is never neutral but is coloured by a set of values and beliefs that we need to understand and acknowledge in order to use assessment effectively. The fourth
chapter in this section achieves some degree of synthesis of the other three by looking at case studies in how learning an instrument might be viewed in the context of their wider education and musical experience
The Covid 19 pandemic radically changed the working practices of many instrumental teachers and almost overnight many of us discovered the possibilities, impossibilities and opportunities offered by online teaching Pity the online classroom teacher who discovered that the supposedly attentive student in the box on their screen was actually a screenshot that the student had put up while they went off to do something more interesting! Who knows what the future holds but, having learned so much, many teachers are choosing to retain some online elements in their teaching. The final section of the book starts by exploring what we know about online learning and its impact on instrumental teaching and learning.
Having quite rightly put the learner at the heart of the book, the final chapter spends some time considering ourselves as instrumental music teachers Which of the three words in that title is most important to you? Do you think of yourself as a musician first, a teacher first, an instrumentalist, a musician teacher? The list could go on
However we see ourselves, there is one final quote which seems to sum up the overall message of the book: “The music profession needs teachers who are reflective thinkers and strong musicians, just as it needs musicians who are knowledgeable about the music they are performing and capable of drawing on pedagogical principles to elevate their own performance or provide education in music to others.”
One final thought There is no chance that every teacher reading this book will agree with everything it says, and there will be many who agree with much of what the book is saying but who work in settings where it is very difficult to put the chapter principles into practice. But the editors and authors hope to achieve two things Firstly to provide teachers with a vehicle for reflection on their own practice, through which they can bring about incremental and considered change and development And secondly to provoke debate amongst instrumental music teachers, those with responsibility for the settings in which such teaching takes place, the music education academic community and anyone else with an interest in instrumental teaching and learning
THE MUSIC PARTNERSHIP
Inclusive Music Provision
The music hub for Shropshire, Telford, Staffordshire, and Stoke-on-Trent shares a snapshot of their work around inclusion
As Inclusion Lead for The Music Partnership, the music hub for Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-onTrent and Telford, I feel privileged to champion the hub’s priorities for inclusion In recent months, inclusive provision across the partner services has been audited, reviewed and celebrated, and networking has been prioritised alongside raising the profile of inclusion, equity and diversity among our staff teams working in schools. We are using Youth Music’s IDEAS Framework to identify priorities and actions for inclusion into the next academic year.
SEND network meetings and a second SEND Conference for school and music service professionals have taken place, we are represented at the West Midlands’ Inclusion Leads’ networking group, and we have a footprint in the National Inclusion Strategy Group.
Applications are in from invited visiting music teachers for a funded PGCert for Music and SEND over the next three years in an overt move to upskill visiting teachers working in schools across the Music Partnership
In City Music Service Stoke, there are now 74 children in care receiving funded weekly instrumental lessons Uptake of lessons for Children in Care in Telford has accelerated at such a rapid rate this year that there is now a Children in Care Band! In Staffordshire, Entrust Music
Service has worked with the Virtual School and other Hub partners to provide two bespoke music workshops for Children in Care.
Telford & Wrekin Music Service is celebrating Global Musical Journeys which is a 15-week pilot music education programme delivered in partnership between the service and Friction Arts' Multicultural Music Making programme. Children were invited to share music, language, and stories from places around the globe to which their families are connected. Creativity, improvisation, and composition were at the heart of each session, along with a focus on encouraging the children to celebrate their wider communities and identities.
Shropshire Music Service has been working in partnership with Actio, an organisation who offer inclusive activities in the community, to deliver a full year of music-making workshops for 3 to 7 year olds with special educational needs and disabilities Workshops are offered on a monthly basis in Market Drayton and Oswestry libraries and are designed with accessibility at the heart of its delivery: participants and families can create and interact with music in any way they choose. The Music Service is also working with its county Pupil Referral Units to offer longer, more relaxed one-to-one instrumental tuition lessons.
A lunchtime drumming club run in a Stoke-on-Trent Pupil Referral Unit has also been praised by all stakeholders due to its flexible, aspirational approach to working with young people who often pass through the PRU transiently A new therapeutic music tuition programme has been launched in Telford which provides an alternative approach to teaching and learning for vulnerable children and young people. The Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) programme run by Entrust Music Service continues to grow in number and to bring disadvantaged, talented young musicians together at social workshop events hosted with partner organisations
We are celebrating a young person with dual exceptionalities (autism and social/ emotional barriers) in Staffordshire, who has been supported by the Friends of Staffordshire Young Musicians to pass Grade 7 Singing for Musical Theatre with merit! Meanwhile at Telford & Wrekin’s Young Musician Final, an exceptional student from Southall SEND School competed in the senior vocal section performing her own composition whilst accompanying herself on the piano as the awe-inspired audience clapped along!
In the county of Shropshire, the Music Service has also completed a pilot programme called ‘Singing for Wellbeing’ Working in partnership with the NHS, the programme focused on singing to improve mental health and also assist with anxiety, specifically connected to asthma Delivered initially to both primary and secondary pupils in the county, the success of the programme has led to a range of instructional videos that can be used more widely to improve lung health, wellbeing, and manage anxiety.
We encourage schools in our area to speak to their local music service to find out how their children and young people with additional needs can benefit from our evolving programme of offers: we are keen to work innovatively and in a bespoke way to meet their needs. We are also always happy to hear from other music hubs and services who are interested in sharing best practice around inclusion, so do get in touch with us if you’d like to share ideas!
DRUMS FOR SCHOOLS
Building Musical Confidence
BY ANDY GWATKIN
How a new action research project raised the musical confidence of primary teachers across Leicestershire and Waltham Forest Music Hubs.
Non-specialist teachers often struggle with lack of confidence and feelings of inadequacy when it comes to teaching music, due to lack of a musical background making them feel that they are ‘unmusical ’ In the summer term of 2024, Drums for Schools set out on a mission to change this in partnership with Leicestershire Music Hub, Waltham Forest Music Hub, and Music Education Solutions.
Each hub invited their primary schools to participate in the Building Musical Confidence Research project, with eight schools in total becoming involved. The aim was to find out whether the teaching approach and resources provided for use by the schools during the project improved teacher and pupil confidence and skill and helped them identify as ‘more musical’ by the end of the term Each school was provided with a class set of West African Djembe Drums, teacher books, lesson plans, and audio and video support resources Zoom support from a Drums for Schools expert was also available as needed
Each teacher involved in the project completed a short survey at the start of the project, used the specially devised teaching materials and instruments regularly over the course of the term, and kept reflective notes to assist them in completing another survey at the end of the project They also gathered pupil feedback before, during and after the
project. This data was then independently analysed by Music Education Solutions to assess the project’s impact.
Considering that this was a relatively short-term project, the results were startling! There was a marked improvement in overall confidence levels amongst the teachers, with 60% of respondents rating themselves 8 or above on a 10-point scale for confidence, compared to just 31% at the start of the project Similarly, when asked to rate how musical they felt, 35% rated 8 or above at the end of the project compared to 13% at the start Teachers’ feelings of expertise also rose dramatically from 9% to 30% with a rating of 7 and above. All of this data clearly shows that the project had a significant positive impact on teachers’ feelings of confidence, musicality, and expertise.
Teachers were also asked how confident they felt about teaching the music of West Africa specifically Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that all the project materials focused on this musical style, there was an improvement from the beginning to the end of the project However, the scale of this was dramatic, with 90% rating themselves 9 or 10 at the end of the project, compared to 0% at the start! 88% also said they would be happy to use the teaching materials and instruments again, and several of the
schools bought the drums at a heavily reduced price at the end of the project so that they could do just that! As one teacher put it: “The African Drums project has significantly enhanced my music teaching by fostering students’ confidence and skill in rhythm and timing It has introduced a rich cultural dimension to my lessons, engaging students with diverse musical traditions.”
Pupils too reported improvements in their enjoyment of music lessons throughout the project One pupil commented during the project “I didn’t used to like music lessons that much but now they’re my favourite.” As one teacher noted, “Children who previously didn’t enjoy music LOVED these lessons They were excited for it and they made great progress.” Confidence too improved, with pupils at the end of the project making comments such as “I’m more confident than before. Playing the Djembe showed me that I can learn new instruments if I practice” and “I feel very confident now, especially with the Djembe. I think I could learn other instruments too.”
The teachers particularly noted pupils’ skill improvement in terms of maintaining a beat, copying and creating rhythms, and ensemble playing skills One teacher noted “At the beginning of the project, many of the class struggled to maintain a steady beat and play in time with a rhythm However, as the term has progressed, they have all shown noticeable improvement in their musical abilities ” Another similarly commented, “They now exhibit greater confidence in maintaining a steady beat, demonstrating improved timing and coordination Additionally, they have deepened their understanding of rhythm, recognising different patterns. Their ability to play in an ensemble setting has also improved, showing better synchronisation and musical communication with their peers.”
All of these results are extremely encouraging and show that it is possible to help primary teachers feel more confident and expert when teaching music, despite their musical background.
This is important not just for individual teachers and schools but for their music hubs as well Schools that become more confident, consistent and self-sufficient in teaching music will feed musicallyenthused pupils into the local music ecosystem, supporting and enhancing the work of the music hub Interestingly, some of the schools who signed up for this research did not regularly engage with their music hub, suggesting that this project might offer an alternative way to reach less responsive schools, contributing towards that all-important school engagement target for the data return!
This research was carried out with a relatively small sample of schools in a limited number of geographic areas, so while the results are encouraging, more data is needed to draw more definite conclusions Drums for Schools has an ambition to scale this research up to more schools, and more areas, so if your music hub is interested in being involved in the next stage of the research please get in touch to express your interest.
Cultivating hyperengaged audiences
Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s impossible to escape the stories of Taylor Swift's meteoric rise to stardom. The Eras Tour has transformed local economies, and this effect even has its own definition, ‘Swiftonomics’. So what lessons can we learn that can be applied to music education?
BY ANITA HOLFORD
Taylor Swift is a master of storytelling and building connection with her fans, resulting in what marketers refer to as ‘a hyper-engaged fan base’. And creating hyper-engaged pupils, parents, teachers and partners is surely a great goal for music service and hubs comms. So what lessons can we learn that can be applied in music education?
Lesson 1: Harness the power of authentic storytelling
Central to Taylor's success is her (team’s) ability to create authentic stories that resonate with her audience. She’s made her personal journey part of her brand – from stories of early teen heartbreak to tales of selfempowerment. By sharing her stories, within and outside her songs, she’s built a deep, emotional connection with her fans.
Authentic stories build trust, loyalty and emotional engagement They provide tales for people to pass on, which helps to grow awareness of who you are, what you do and why it matters And every organisation has a story and stories. For music education organisations they can show how music’s had an impact on an individual’s life; who’s in your team, what they do and why they care; the struggles and triumph of everyone involved Sharing insights through stories makes people and organisations more human and relatable.
Lesson
2: Build relationships, community and connection
One of Taylor's most powerful tactics has been her direct engagement with her fans, the ‘Swifties’ They’ve told of her personal replies to comments on social media, secret listening parties and even birthday presents for loyal fans She makes them feel part of an exclusive community. This goes beyond a transactional relationship to attempt genuine connection
Engaged students and families are more likely to remain involved, share their experiences, and advocate for your hub or music service. Music services and hubs already have close contact with students, families and teachers, so it’s quite possible to transform them into an invested community. Think about how you can reflect the warm and trusting relationships that your tutors have built, throughout all of your communications Work with your team to share ideas about how you grow that feeling of community and connection Think beyond what you usually deliver or the way you usually communicate. An annual drop-in event with workshops, performances and perhaps even networking events for local creatives A Facebook group where parents can chat and share tips about supporting students in music Special events like live Q&A sessions with inspiring music educators, musicians and others in the music industry
Lesson 3: Think outside usual organisational boundaries to build an ecosystem
Taylor Swift has created an entire ecosystem around her music, from merchandise to brand partnerships and even social causes. By building a lifestyle brand that extends beyond her albums, she’s diversified her revenue streams and deepened her connection with fans.
Collaborations will build your organisation’s credibility and help you attract attention. Think about what ‘assets’ you have, and who you could partner with for mutual benefit Other cultural education organisations are an obvious starting point. Perhaps you could approach local businesses, music industry organisations, festivals And what about unexpected partnerships? There may be people or organisations who have the same values or audiences who’d be interested in partnerships –even if it’s as light touch as sharing your opportunities in their newsletter or on their website There’s no cost to reaching out, and you may get a win you didn’t expect.
Lesson 4: Be relatable and consistent on social media
Taylor Swift has created a social media community that loves to spread her
messages. She surprises and delights fans with personal, relatable posts, quirky hidden messages, ‘remarkable’ content (ie notably unusual and worthy of talking about – read more on this in ‘Purple Cow’ by Seth Godin) She balances these posts carefully with promotional content.
Being relatable goes a long way to breaking down the barrier between teacher and potential student, organisation and audience. There are some simple changes you can make to your social media content to build the comms holy grail of ‘know, like, trust’. Look at your current posts. Is the tone of voice warm, human, relatable? Are you asking questions or encouraging feedback that people will *want* to respond to? Are you making the most of your team’s stories and their creativity? Tutors can position themselves as mentors who’ve been through the same struggles as their students
Lesson 5: Adapt to change and stay relevant
Taylor's ability to reinvent herself –from a country star to a pop icon and even dabbling in indie folk – has allowed her to remain relevant to a wide range of fans. She listens to what her audience wants and isn't afraid to pivot when needed.
All businesses know that the ability to adapt is key to long-term success. Your funding agreement with Arts Council England needn’t dictate your business model. Embracing movements and developments among young people, the music and creative industries, will not only help you gain attention, interest and credibility; it’s also critical to your ability to offer high quality music education Youth Music’s latest Sound of the Next Generation report gives insights into what young people think about learning, making and earning in music, the opportunities they see and the barriers they face.
Lesson 6: Use data to help with decision-making
It’s well known in marketing circles that Taylor’s team monitor fan behaviour closely They use data from music streaming, social media analytics, and fan feedback to shape her strategy for releases, concerts, and communications By understanding the preferences of her audience, she tailors her marketing to deliver what her fans want, when they want it
Data is invaluable when it comes to understanding your audience – as well as your impact – whether it’s social
media analytics or pupil tracking. Hull Music Service has worked with its local authority to measure and track its performance using Unique Pupil Numbers (find out more in this podcast interview with hub lead James Dickinson) Noise Solution has formed game-changing partnerships with software companies and social enterprises to understand and communicate its impact Could you partner with your local authority, a local university, a charity or business to help with monitoring and evaluation or customer feedback?
Taylor Swift has managed to captivate audiences worldwide despite being, in reality, far removed from her fans As music services and hubs operate in defined geographical areas to distinct audiences and stakeholders, there’s masses of potential to create engaged and enthusiastic audiences and communities. This isn’t to ignore the challenges – lack of time and money, competing priorities, information overload, funders requirements to name a few. But you’re already telling stories, you’re already working in partnership, and you’re already building a community. It’s only a small step to bring an engagement-focused mindset into everything you do
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
The power of music to change lives
Every day, music helps children and young people across the country with their wellbeing and, critically, gives them new tools to help shape their sense of who they are and how they fit into the world
You don’t have to take my word for it. Music’s power to inform young people’s identities and how they live their lives was highlighted among the findings of the recently updated Sound of the Next Generation report from the charity Youth Music, which I am proud to say we invest in through National Lottery funding.
The nationally representative sample of 2,100 children and young people who took part in the research made one thing clear: whether they play an instrument, listen to a streaming service, produce their own music or take part in one of the host of other ways in which they can access, make or consume music, it plays an important and powerful role in their lives.
And yet we know there are significant inequalities and access barriers, for this generation who have already been through so much, to participate in and excel at the things they love It is not fair that for some children, their circumstances can impact their opportunity to take part in music and discover and fulfil their talent
This does nothing to serve the interests and needs of our children, our worldleading music sector, or indeed our country - and this is why we at Arts Council England believe music education is so important and why we support organisations and programmes that are changing this country’s musical landscape, one child at a time.
In order to understand how we are doing this, I want to begin by explaining that our investment is informed by our 10-year strategy Let’s Create, which outlines our belief that facilitating the creativity, agency, wellbeing and potential of all children and young people, from birth through to early adulthood, is central to our country’s future.
We want to build a strong and dynamic music sector with deep pipelines that enable young people to progress their musical interests and potential as far as they want to take them We know that to achieve this, there needs to be equal access across the country to opportunities, facilities, resources, and expertise, both within school and beyond it. Young people need to be empowered to make decisions about their own creative lives and practice And they need this where they live, go to school, and spend their free time.
80% of our 985 National Portfolio Organisations are delivering activity specifically for children and young people. In Nottinghamshire, for example, Mish Mash Music is aiming to introduce children in England to live classical music through touring events in theatres, concert halls, schools, and libraries In Manchester, Reform Radio is working with creatives, DJs, and young people to develop and showcase new work online. And in London, Ruff Sqwad Arts Foundation helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to reach their full potential by combining youth work, high quality art, and industry connections to access essential music industry training Across the UK, Music Mark is working to champion diverse and accessible music education and provide even greater training opportunities and resources to those working in the sector.
In our role as fundholder for the Department for Education’s Music Hub Programme, we are continuing our work which spans two investment processes, and 12 years of development and delivery. Nine out of ten schools in England are working with Music Hubs, supported with annual funding of £76m from the Department for Education, and, from 2024 to 2026 with an additional £25m in capital investment to purchase the instruments, equipment, and technology children and young people need.
From the start of this school year, our new cohort of Music Hub Lead Organisations have begun leading a diverse and exciting network of partners to create Local Plans for Music Education By operating across wider geographic areas, they are able to collaborate with, learn from, and connect with a broader network of professionals, organisations, and schools, and are currently developing place-specific programmes and strategies that reflect and engage with the lived experience of the children and young people in their areas.
Supporting the music education workforce is also key – every day brilliant teachers are transforming lives and inspiring children and young people through their work in classrooms, community centres, youth clubs, playgroups, cultural spaces and beyond. Hubs are there to support them, directly employing over 9,000 teaching staff across England, but also providing the CPD, resources, and networks the wider music education workforce needs to thrive and progress.
Another big part of our work with the Department for Education involves the co-funding of 15 National Youth Music Organisations through the National Portfolio These organisations are developing young musicians across a range of genres – from Black music to
folk, jazz to Indian classical, choral singing to musical theatre - including through a focus on supporting young people who are navigating disadvantage or disability
Finally, we are also directing £9.7m per year of National Lottery funds to Youth Music so that they can invest in projects that support those facing barriers in life
Our very own In Harmony programme is transforming the lives of children and families facing disadvantage through the power and discipline of ensemble music making. Approximately 9000 children per year from around 50 schools in Lambeth, Leeds, Halifax, Telford, Stoke, Newcastle, Gateshead, Nottingham, and Liverpool are accessing In Harmony provision.
In a recent speech, the Prime Minister spoke about how playing the flute led to his first trip abroad as part of Croydon Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and expressed his own view that every one of us deserves a chance to not only access, but thrive in the arts. At the Arts Council, this is something we passionately believe in. We know that the music education organisations and programmes we invest in play a central role in making this happen – so that more of our children and young people have the chances and choices to express their identity and joy through music.
Diversifying the Curriculum through Bollywood
Exploring the ACE-funded education projects which brought Indian music to hubs, services and schools across England
By Kay Charlton
I have been lucky to spend a lot of my performing life playing with BBB - a nine-piece band playing, you guessed it, Bollywood music - songs written for the world-wide phenomenon that is Hindi movies Not only do we play at festivals, venues and (of course) Indian weddings all year round, but we love to work with children and young people in schools whenever we can
The band is mixed and diverse, playing brass, sax and drums, including the Indian Dhol drum which is guaranteed to get everyone up and dancing whether we are performing at a festival or in a school! As well as instrumental expertise, we bring the diversity of Bollywood, music with its roots in Indian classical and folk music and the absorption of influences from music around the world
I’ve always combined performing with teaching - instrumental, WCET and curriculum, and this led to the foundation of the Bollywood Brass Academy a few years ago The initial project with young instrumentalists from Music Hubs in Bedford and Slough was funded by the Arts Council and it enabled us to write and arrange easy Bollywood songs, create backing tracks and host the resources as free downloads on our BBA website. The easy repertoire is driven by my passion for WCET and the promotion of instrumental learning, with a focus on brass. Our large-scale, ACE funded
‘Progression Project’ with Hubs in south and west Yorkshire, Birmingham and Kent (2019-2022) led us to develop our easy repertoire to include strings - a welcome addition to WCET repertoire
This year we delivered a follow-on project in Bradford from January to March, culminating in a performance with young brass and string players over two nights at their Youth Proms. The aim of the project was to embed diverse repertoire into the curriculum, and we started with a CPD session on 2nd January (a rude awakening to the new term for all of us!) where I delivered a session to instrumental tutors on Bollywood music, teaching WCET and creative approaches to using our repertoire and backing tracks.
This was followed later in the month by visits to four primary schools by a sixpiece version of BBB where we did interactive performances in assemblyintroducing Bollywood and our instruments, and did workshops for brass/clarinets and strings on the three-note tunes. The local tutors then continued to use the songs and backing tracks as part of their lessons in the spring term. We used two original songs - ‘Yeh Dosti’ from the 1970 hit movie Sholay and BBB’s funky version of Bally Sago’s remix of the Punjabi folk song ‘Gurh Nalon Ishk Mitha’, both songs had the teachers
and TA’s jigging in their seats and one pupil came up to tell us that Yeh Dosti was his Dad’s favourite song - yes, good choices! The children were very excited to be able to play a reduced version of these tunes along to the backing tracks, making them feel like they were playing along with the Bollywood Brass Band.
The string pieces were two originals composed specifically for WCET by myself and Sarha Moore, BBB’s sax player - with welcome support by Bradford string tutors! Both pieces explore South Indian ragas, using D E F# and open strings. Again, backing tracks brought the pieces to life in the classroom
The next step for me was a visit to Bradford’s Education Conference where I delivered sessions on diversifying the curriculum to instrumental tutors, KS2 and secondary music teachers - each session requiring a different approach In these sessions discussed how to find and utilise diverse repertoire, drawing on my wide playing and teaching experience On classroom instruments we learnt to play a South African tune as well as Jai Ho - always a favourite (and so easy to play) and we improvised too of course, with some tutors inevitably feeling out of their comfort zone, but joining in never-the-less.
(and children’s) hard work over a short term! BBB went up to Bradford in time to rehearse with the children in the afternoon and perform in the eveningbrass one day, strings the next. What fun! BBB performed a couple of songs on our own and then were joined by the children and tutors - they did a great job and I could see all eyes on me as the children found themselves on the huge stage of St George’s Hall, playing with live musicians - sounding different from the backing tracks!
Carl White, Head of Service at the Music & Arts Service, Bradford said:
“I would like to say a big thank you for all of your help and support in preparation for the Prom, Conference, CPD and school workshops. It has been fantastic for our staff and schools to benefit from your expertise and the legacy continues as some staff commented after the Prom that although they hadn’t used the material yet, they are definitely going to this term having seen the impact and how it works live!”
The final part of this project was the performance at the School’s Prom in March - the culmination of the tutors’
This September found us in Abingdon playing in primary schools and one afternoon workshopping two songs with 65 children in just one hour! As well as the easy threenote versions, the BBA website hosts intermediate and advanced versions of the same songs, if your stage is big enough, the beginners can see their progression route to intermediate ensembles and beyond
Helen Ecclestone, Director of Abingdon Music Centre said, “Thank you so much for the wonderful primary workshop yesterday afternoon. I really appreciated all your expertise in the planning process, your organisation but also your patience and flexibility to work round our needs The workshop itself was very well paced to learn both songs in such a short time and you had a great rapport with the kids. From speaking to some of the children afterwards they loved hearing your band play and then the buzz that came from feeling that they were able to play with you I know that some would have happily stayed and played with you for much longer ”
To book workshops, school performances (or weddings/festivals!), contact bollywood@bollywoodbrassband co uk, or to download free resources visit this link
SEVERN ARTS
Olly Irwin Award
Henry Dorrell received the first Olly Irwin Award, launched in June by Severn Arts and BIMM Institute Birmingham in memory of local musician Olly Irwin The award was open to young people aged 15-17 in Worcestershire with an interest in music technology, DJ-ing, and music recording
Henry said: “It is a big honour to be the first recipient of the award I'm so proud that I've been chosen to carry on Olly's legacy I'd like to say thank you to Sue
for making this possible and I hope I make Sue and Olly proud ”
Sue Irwin, Olly Irwin’s mother, said: “This award is a wonderful way to honour Olly's life and continue his extraordinary legacy We wish Henry every success for the future.”
Henry received six online mentoring sessions with music technology expert Jonny Amos from BIMM Institute and £500 for equipment or activities to develop his musical journey
BRASS BANDS ENGLAND
Helen Minshall wins Classic FM award
Lancashire-based Helen Minshall has been announced as the winner of Visiting Music Teacher 2024 in the Classic FM Music Teacher of the year awards
Helen's work visiting schools spans across her role as Youth Development Brass Specialist for Brass Bands England’s Brass Foundations programme as well as her work at Lancashire Music Service Alongside her work in schools, Helen runs her own teaching company Minshall Music and is involved with a
number of youth bands in the North West including serving as Musical Director for Lancashire Youth Brass Band and Astley Youth Band
Commenting on Helen’s win, the judges said: “Helen’s commitment to music teaching shines out She has shared her love of brass instruments with countless pupils throughout her long career. Bands have flourished as she has fostered a love of music with successive generations of young musicians ”
Helen commented: "I feel very privileged to have a job doing something I’m passionate about and to be able to celebrate like this means the world! Thank you to all my wonderful students and colleagues at Lancashire Music Hub, Brass Bands England, Minshall Music LTD, Astley Youth Band, More Music for all your ongoing support and to all the children and staff at the many schools I am lucky enough to visit regularly." Appearing on Classic FM Breakfast with Dan Walker, when asked how she was going to celebrate, Helen responded with her typical enthusiasm: "I think I'm going to go and run up and down the street playing my trombone!"
The interview (2 hrs 5 mins into the show) is currently available on catch-up via Global Player.
Helen has won £3,000 worth of musical prizes, which she plans to donate to Lancashire Youth Brass Band. She will join other award-winners at Classic FM Live on 21 October, the station's prestigious annual event at London's Royal Albert Hall, to receive her certificate live on stage
Find out more about what Helen does as part of her work for BBE Brass Foundations at brassfoundations.com.
