Interview: The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP

Q. What is your first musical memory?

We had a pianola at home. This is a piano in which you insert rolls of perforated paper that when you pump the pedals, plays the piano for you. One of these tunes I remember was Ivor Novello’s “And Her Mother Came Too.” I also remember singing “Hands together, softly so” at the end of every school day at Langtons Infant School in Hornchurch in Essex. Despite being more than 50 years ago, I’ve remembered the words and melody ever since.

“Hands together, softly so, Little eyes shut tight; Father, just before we go, Hear our prayer tonight.

We are all thy children here, This is what we pray, Keep us when the dark is near, And through every day.”

Q. What was your first experience of ‘formal’ music education?

On the way home from school age 5, on a Friday afternoon I would have piano lessons. I enjoyed them but was relieved that the lessons finished in time for Crackerjack!, which as you know started at 5 minutes to 5.

Q. What were your favourite musical activities when you were at primary school?

Obviously I enjoyed the piano, but due to emigrating to Canada when I was 6 my piano lessons came to an end. Returning to England at the age of 8 the recorder became the class instrument for music. We sounded appalling but it helped me to continue to learn to read music. Singing in Bedford Modern Junior School Choir from the age of 9 was a delight and introduced me to challenging pieces such as “Papagena, Papageno” from Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’ which we sang with a full orchestra at the Corn Exchange in Bedford.

Recorder Players from Mosborough Primary School

Rob Wilson

Q. Do you feel that music has benefitted your own life and career and if so, how?

When we moved to Roundhay in Leeds I joined the St Edmund’s Parish Church choir, which was a serious full choir approaching cathedral choir standards. We had choir practice two evenings a week and sang in two services every Sunday. It provided me with friends and an excellent music education; introducing me to anthems from Parry’s ‘I was glad’ to Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’.

Music hasn’t had any influence on my career but it has certainly enhanced my life, as today an element of Michael’s and my social life revolves around concert-going from Wigmore Hall, to the Barbican Centre, to the eccentric Glyndebourne experience.

Q. Why do you think music education in primary schools is important?

Music is part of our culture and our heritage and all children should be introduced to it from an early age. It was listening to classical music while filing into assemblies that kindled my love of classical music. I think music education is also an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum in both primary and secondary school. It is important in its own right but I also believe that if you start music education from an early age it can support the development of a wide range of skills including listening, language and reasoning as well as some personal and social skills which help to enhance academic attainment. Music can also encourage children to build their imagination and develop a positive attitude to life.

Q. If we had an unlimited supply of money, time, and talent, what kind of musical opportunities would you like to see given to all children in the UK?

I would want all children to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, play in an ensemble, sing and perform in a choir, and be able to progress to the next level. Our national network of music education hubs is helping schools to ensure that that vision is a reality. In addition to the money spent by schools from their budgets, we are spending almost £500 million on music and arts programmes between 2016 and 2020.

Q. Do you have a message for colleagues delivering music lessons in primary schools?

I’d like to express my thanks to all the teachers who deliver music lessons in primary schools and I would encourage them to continue to keep up the valuable work that they do in this important area.

I’d also like to let them know that there will soon be a model music curriculum, created by experts, which will help them to plan lessons that deliver a world class music education and help to reduce their workload.

@PrimaryMusicMag