2011/12
Music Education Council
Annual Report
Cover photo with thanks to The Voices Foundation
Chair's Report
The Music Education Council is the umbrella body for music education in the UK, bringing together
the many voices of music education into one voice. Music contributes uniquely to children’s learning
and develops emotional intelligence and social skills. Research undertaken by YouGov showed that
93 per cent of adults agree that every child should have the opportunity to learn music. In turn,
music education underpins and creates the workforce and audience for the creative and cultural
economy which is central to our economy.
The past year has continued to be a year of challenge for music education. The MEC year started
with a thought provoking seminar in Birmingham Conservatoire on higher education. We were
fortunate to have speakers ranging across higher education including Paul Kirkham from ICMP,
Professor David Saint from Birmingham Conservatoire, John Finney from Cambridge University and a
representative from Teach First. The debate covered different types of providers for financial higher
education and the creation of the next generation of teachers.
Since July of last year, issues relating to the economy have been in the news constantly. Whether it
is the problems with the eurozone or financial institutions proving to be less than stable, it is very
much the case that music education is operating in a tough environment. Government has
continued to send mixed messages as to how much value it places on music education. On the one
hand, we had the National Plan for Music Education and continued funding for three years and on
the other, the government continues to exclude music from the English Baccalaureate and reduce
teacher training.
The year was dominated by the National Plan for Music Education which was published on 25
November 2011. MEC was delighted that the government recognised the pre‐eminence of music
education in the UK and the essential role that music plays in our creative and cultural economy. The
government had clearly listened to the sector and identified areas that could be done better whilst
at the same time guaranteeing funding over the next three years to 2015. However, concerns were
expressed in the very successful and over‐subscribed MEC seminar in December 2011 on the rapid
pace at which new music education hubs are expected to take forward the work of local authority
music services.
Whilst a reorganisation in terms of music education was taking place structurally, the review of the
National Curriculum was also underway. Music has been in the National Curriculum since 1992 and
forms a crucial part of teaching and learning in schools. The good news was that the expert panel on
the National Curriculum review team recommended that music remain in the National Curriculum to
Key Stage 3 and remain compulsory up to Key Stage 4 within ‘the Arts.’ Indeed Michael Gove in an
interview on Music Matters on BBC Radio 3 declared that “I think anyone looking at the care and
dedication that has gone into the NPME, following on from Darren Henley’s fantastic work, would
presume from that, that it would be eccentric of the Department for Education not to have music
enjoying a prominent place in the National Curriculum.”
In spring 2012, we learnt that the National Plan for Music Education will be monitored by the
Monitoring Board which will be chaired by the Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey MP. The Board is made
up of Margaret Griffiths – a former HMI inspector, Ed Watkins – head of music at the West London
Free School and Director of Inner Voices, a singing charity in London, Mike Welsh – a former
president of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), Munira Mirza – the Mayor of
London’s adviser on culture, Darren Henley – the Managing Director of Classic FM and author of the
Review of Music Education in England and Paul Roberts – Chair of the Board of Trustees for
Creativity, Culture and Education.
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The music education sector is fortunate to have ring fenced funding for the next three years and all
those involved in music education will need to start thinking how to ensure the sustainability of the
important work they are engaged in on a long term basis. Nothing is a given and already, politicians
will be thinking about funding settlements from 2015 on. So it is absolutely critical that the music
education sector continues to deliver a quality music education. We will also need to make sure that
wherever possible we speak with one voice.
Ofsted in its latest report in March 2011 raised significant concerns about the quality of music
education. With Ofsted increasing its remit, it will be essential for all elements of the music
education sector to work together to show that they really can deliver an excellent music education,
musically, within the structures which government has given us. It is a huge challenge and that is
why the MEC spring seminar focussed on musicality and progression. We are now distilling all the
thinking of MEC members into position statements which will hopefully be a useful resource for the
sector.
In July 2011, the influential House of Commons Education Select Committee published its review of
government policy. The Committee expressed a number of concerns and called the decision to omit
music from the EBacc “odd” following on from Michael Gove’s own words when announcing the
English Baccalaureate last year “I’m proposing that the government look at how many young people
in each secondary school secure five good GCSEs including…a humanity like History or Geography,
Art or Music.” The Creative Industries Council, an advisory body supported by the DCMS
recommended reforming the English Baccalaureate. The CIC recommended that the English
Baccalaureate should include ‘a computer science, art and/or creative subject (music, song, media
and photography).’
There are also challenges within teacher training with an increasing emphasis on training in a
vocational setting. In terms of creating the music educators of the future, this could create issues
around the way in which teachers are developed so the sector will need to be vigilant. As ever
professional development will continue to be critical so that the professionalism and excellence of
the sector is not lost. With Arts Council England leading on the Qualified Music Educator, it behoves
all of us to get involved and make sure that the QME is something which really is robust and meets
the needs of the music education sector.
So there are many challenges ahead for 2012‐13 and we will all need to work together to make sure
we are speaking with one voice and making the case for music education positively and robustly.
Deborah Annetts
Chair
July 2012
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Treasurer’s report
Grateful thanks are due to my predecessor as Hon Treasurer, Bill Martin, and to Deborah Annetts,
Chair, for the steps they took to place MEC’s finances on a secure footing and to the two
administrative officers, Rose Walker and Wendy Jackson, who managed the day to day
administration of MEC’s finances during the past 12 months.
Following a deficit in 2010, a surplus was achieved in 2011. £20,139 of this surplus was attributable
to donations/legacies. Thus, in terms of normal operating costs, a deficit of £8,746 in 2010 was
reduced to an operating deficit of just £499.
At December 31st 2011 MEC had total reserves of £60,608.
Steps currently being taken are ensuring that the current financial year is on track to achieve a small
operating surplus.
Christopher J Wright, Independent Examiner’s report for the year ended 31st December 2011
appears at Annex A to this document.
Richard Hallam
Treasurer
July 2012
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ABRSM
ABRSM is the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music, delivering over 650,000 exams every year in
over 90 countries. Our exams are designed to motivate students of all levels and ages, giving them a
series of realistic goals and tangible rewards for their achievement. In order to bring out the best in
each student, ABRSM is committed to working with teachers, offering high quality support to help
inspire and encourage learners.
Throughout 2011 we continued to focus on professional development for teachers worldwide
through innovative courses and online learning resources and a range of short workshops and
seminars. ABRSM held over 30 workshops for teachers, including a series of 10 Continuing
Professional Development workshops which took place in Manchester and London, focussing on
topics including the Art of Accompaniment and Preparing for Performance, and a series of
Introduction to Instrumental and Vocal Teaching workshops which took place across the UK.
Online learning has continued to prove popular with three start dates of our fully online, Being an
Effective Teacher course, offered across the year. ABRSM’s flagship CT ABRSM Plus qualification has
had another successful year, seeing 55 teachers complete the accredited qualification at centres in
Birmingham, Manchester and London. Our UK conferences, which took place in Manchester,
Birmingham and London, offered the opportunity for hundreds of teachers to meet, exchange ideas
and gather fresh ideas around our syllabus and teaching practice.
Overseas, the work of the Professional Development department continues, with CT ABRSM Plus
courses taking place in Hong Kong and Singapore, and for the first time, a series of workshops to
provide guidance in preparing for the DipABRSM Instrumental and Vocal Teaching in Hong Kong
were provided. Following the success of last year’s Centenary Travel Grant scholarships, which
enabled two teachers from Hong Kong to spend a term studying at the Royal Northern College of
Music, three teachers from South Africa will be studying at the RNCM from September to December
2012, focussing on developing jazz techniques.
In April 2012 Lincoln Abbotts was appointed to ABRSM in the new role of Teaching and Learning
Development Director. In these changing times ABRSM is committed to playing its part in making
connections across the music education sector and this appointment signals a fresh approach to
supporting, developing and inspiring teachers.
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The Association of British Orchestras
The Association of British Orchestras' http://www.abo.org.uk (ABO) vision is of a society where
orchestral music is valued as a core component of contemporary life and culture. It exists to support
and champion professional orchestras in the UK in their ambition to perform music to the highest
artistic standards for the widest possible audience. Its membership consists of over 65 symphony,
chamber, opera, ballet, and BBC orchestras, as well as orchestras that focus on contemporary music,
and historical performance. Membership also includes organisations such as conservatoires, concert
halls, festivals, national youth orchestras, other music umbrella organisations, funders, overseas
orchestras, music services, broadcasters, and youth ensembles.
Since the 2011 publication of Darren Henley's Review of Music Education in England the ABO has
worked to ensure that orchestras are part of the national conversations about music education
hubs, partnerships and the proposed music educator qualification. We have participated in
conferences and seminars focussing on the National Plan for Music Education organised respectively
by the GLA, MEC, NAME, and Musiclearninglive. In May 2012 the ABO jointly presented a seminar
with the Federation of Music Services at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester that attracted circa 75
people to address the issue of partnerships and the challenges of building and maintaining them
over the long term.
The bi-annual meetings of education managers include guest speakers who represent participants in
orchestral education projects, or those who work with the participants such as teachers. They jointly
present with an orchestra on a particular project or an area of orchestral education work. In 2011/12
we focussed on work in the criminal justice system, early years music, professional development,
and collaborative performances for young people, music services and orchestras. We also had
presentations from Carnegie Hall, the Federation of Music Services, In Harmony Ltd, OFSTED, and
the Musicians' Union.
The ABO’s offer to its youth ensemble membership includes opportunities to meet during the
Annual Conference and a tailored E-Bulletin. We have established reciprocal membership of the
Irish Association of Youth Orchestras and are working to create opportunities for youth orchestras
to be matched with professional orchestras throughout the UK.
The ABO continues to work in partnership with other organisations for the benefit of its members. In
2011 three collaborative projects were:

Keys to the Future, a work-related learning project with Arts Inform and Sound Connections. The
concluding seminar in November 2011 featured presentations of case studies from the pilot
projects run by ABO and Sound Connections members, and a keynote speech by Pauline
Tambling, Joint Chief Executive, Creative and Cultural Skills and Managing Director, National
Skills Academy.

Participation in Youth Music’s ‘spotlighting’ programme - capturing, documenting and
disseminating effective practice in different areas of music education. The ABO’s spotlight
project was on the Early Years Cluster Programme, 2006-09.

The creation of Guidelines for Practice in Music Hire for Youth Orchestras with the Music
Publishers Association. Following a consultation process, these Guidelines will be circulated to
ABO youth ensemble members and published on the ABO website.
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Awards for Young Musicians
Awards for Young Musicians is a not-for-profit organisation with an ambition to reach 1,000 young
people with outstanding musical talent and potential by 2015.
We take a strategic, collaborative approach, enabling us to access resources, people and networks
and work towards delivering this ambition – we can only succeed by working in partnership with our
colleagues from across the music education sector. Our programmes are currently providing
bespoke support to 200 young musicians each year from lower income backgrounds. Through our
annual Awards, young people from across genres and across the UK apply to us for funding of
between £200 and £2,000 to help with their essential music costs. We’re now working with the
Musicians Benevolent Fund to enhance this programme: for although the Fund no longer offers its
own Young Talent Awards, by joining forces with AYM, it’s continuing to support 14-18 year old
musicians, simplifying their funding environment and saving on administration costs.
Photograph by Edward Webb
Now in its fourth year, our Furthering
Talent programme has so far reached
80 young people, with tailor-made
tuition and mentoring support across
transition, operating across 13
locations in England, with Wales
coming on stream soon. We’re now
commissioning independent research
to evaluate its progress, to identify key
learning points and to further refine
the programme and strengthen its
impact. We’ve also recently launched
“How to spot and support musical potential” as part of our Music Teacher Support programme.
Funded by Youth Music under their Spotlighting initiative, the resource helps demystify questions
around identifying talent and potential and features over 40 film clips, supported by practical tools
and ideas.
Alongside our partners we’ve also made positive progress in our Advocacy and Research work,
through a series of roundtables, co-hosted with Youth Music and the Musicians Benevolent Fund.
Established with the aim of increasing collaboration to better support young people’s musical
potential, this is now shaping into a national network. A key objective is to examine how together
we can help create the best environment for young people to progress and be ready for the
challenges of their musical futures.
AYM is committed to the development of its programmes, placing young people’s musical journeys
at the centre of everything we do by providing not only financial backing, musical development and
mentoring support, but also the further opportunities that give young musicians the confidence to
be the best they can be, progress in their music-making and make their own creative choices.
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British Kodály Academy
The BKA runs courses for teachers and people wanting to develop their own musicianship skills. The
Kodály approach – learning through singing, practical musicianship and solfa – provides tools to
develop fundamentals such as pitch sense, inner hearing, good tuning and sight reading. With
structured steps, from simple to complex, it is highly relevant to Ofsted’s findings that musical
understanding is developed most effectively through using musical sound as the dominant language
for teaching and learning.
Our 2011 Summer School and our non- residential four-day April course were very successful. We
had strong take-up for our 2012 Summer School. Being a charity without funding support, we
budget courses to be self-financing – posing a challenge to achieve an affordable structure of course
fees. Donations have enabled us to institute a scholarship fund which will help to pay some
students’ tuition fees.
Tutors offer day/weekend Methodology courses to introduce or develop students’ understanding of
the Kodály approach, using repertoire of enjoyable songs/singing games with immediate practical
application. Musicianship classes are available and we are working on increasing their accessibility.
Tutors are increasingly in demand in Holland, supporting a growing organisation of Kodály
practitioners, and some are travelling as far as Asia and Australia to deliver classes at courses and
conferences.
We have links with other organisations including NYCoS, Voices Foundation, SMA, Dalcroze Society
and Colourstrings. Our Budapest study tour, observing how music is introduced in a variety of Early
Years settings, was well subscribed and a great success. Demand is high for a similar project next
year. We maintain our relationship with the International Kodály Society and regularly exchange
tutors between Hungary and the UK.
A big challenge is to attract sufficient students for our certificate course, accredited by Roehampton
University, Springboard Level 1 (HE1/NQF4) and Level 3 (HE3/NQF7).Regrettably HE3 was not viable
in 2011-12, though pleasingly 9 students completed the HE1 course. In 2012-13 we anticipate
running both levels, albeit with small student numbers on each.
Our work hitherto has mainly involved inviting people to come to us to experience what we offer.
We see the emphasis needing to change, in the climate of National Music Plan and the development
of Hubs, to a more outward-looking approach, focused on going out to offer what we have to help
Head Teachers and classroom teachers with their provision of quality music education. This is what
we are currently working on.
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Choir Schools’ Association
The number of children wanting to join cathedral choirs continues to grow despite the tough
economic climate. Figures published by the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA) in May showed a 6.8%
increase in auditions in the last year and a 19% growth over the last five years.
The CSA’s annual survey covers 37
cathedral and collegiate choir
schools who are full members of
the Association, educating over 900
boy and girl choristers. A further
20 choir schools and cathedrals are
associate members.
CSA Chairman Roger Overend
(Headmaster of King’s Rochester
Junior School) says: “It is just over
20 years ago that Salisbury
Cathedral made its groundbreaking decision to start a girls’
cathedral choir and these
opportunities for both boys and girls to participate in singing the services in our cathedrals is totally
appropriate for the 21st century.
“Nationwide 35 of the 43 English cathedrals have girls’ choirs ranging in age from 8-18. More than
1000 boys and nearly 800 girls now sing regular services each week.”
Many CSA members have been actively engaged in outreach work for several years. St Edmund’s
School in Canterbury set up a Saturday music school in 1999 to encourage local children with
instrumental playing. Today they are home to the East Kent Children’s Orchestra and work in
partnership with the English Chamber Orchestra.
Using choristers to boost singing in primary schools began in 2000 in Truro and now there are
projects up and down the country reaching thousands of children. Our teams of skilled music leaders
were part of the government’s National Singing Programme Sing Up from 2007-2011. Chorister
Outreach Programmes (COP) have helped bring about
significant change in many primary schools, inspiring children (a
number of whom have become cathedral choristers), their
teachers and parents alike.
Despite government funding for COP) coming to an end, many
of the 42 projects still work with their local schools, albeit on a
more modest scale.
The final phase of the Institute of Education’s evaluation of COP
showed that it has had a very positive effect on primary schools
– both staff and children. It concludes: “Even though the
funding for the COP programme has ceased, its legacy is evident
in schools. Children appear to be more positive about singing
and the school culture as a whole is more open to the use of
singing activities throughout the curriculum to facilitate
children’s learning, concentration and enjoyment of lessons.”
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Colourstrings
Colourstrings and The Szilvay Foundation train music and primary school teachers in the
Colourstrings approach and establish music centres and projects in a variety of teaching
environments.
The organisation has been training teachers in this country for 25 years, and has educated thousands
of children.
Colourstrings offers high-quality, Kodaly-based music education from music kindergarten all the way
up to conservatoire level. The aim is to strike the perfect balance between excellence and enjoyment
of music – and between technical, musical, aural and emotional development – exploring different
musical concepts in a stimulating but structured way.
There is a huge demand for Colourstrings-trained teachers for instrumental teaching and music
kindergarten. Many local education authorities, recognising the importance of early years music
education, have introduced Colourstrings into their schools.
The Szilvay Foundation – a charity set up to promote the Colourstrings approach – has also
established projects in private and state schools throughout the UK and Ireland, and provides INSET
training.
2012 sees the tenth anniversary of our first project at Gallions Primary School, Beckton, where every
child in this state school has musicianship classes from Nursery onwards and begins a classical
instrument from Year 1. In our latest project at King Solomon Academy in Westminster, which
educates pupils aged 3 to 18, all children learn an instrument from Year 2.
In August 2012, nearly 100 teachers will travel from all over the world for the Colourstrings 23rd
International Teacher Training Course, at The Yehudi Menuhin School. Colourstrings has recently
introduced certification for teachers completing sufficient modules, so that they can advertise
themselves as Colourstrings-qualified.
Colourstrings and The Szilvay Foundation are committed to giving all children, whatever their
background, the opportunity to experience the joy and undisputed benefits that music education
can bring.
For more information about Coloustrings, visit www.colourstrings.co.uk
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The Incorporated Society of Musicians
The ISM has had another busy year as Secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for
Music Education, member of the Council for Subject Associations, continuing our support of the
important work of the Music Education Council and supporting our members through legal advice,
professional development and advocacy at all levels of Government.
In our campaigning, we helped secure a damning verdict on the English Baccalaureate from not just
the Education Select Committee but also – using our cross-sector links – the Creative Industries
Council, Confederation of British Industry and BPI (the record companies representative body). This
stands us in good stead for the next stage of this campaign and has helped show how unacceptable
it is for the Government to treat music education in this way.
Promoting best practice with Dr Alison
Daubney we shared a briefing and summary
of Ofsted’s triennial music education review
in March. This reached the National
Association of Head Teachers, teaching
unions and other communities of music
educators and took the message of the
importance of musical learning and musical
assessment right to the front line.
One of the highlights of the year was Mike
Weatherley’s Rock the House competition
which saw winning entrants performing in the House of Commons in front of over 165 MPs. Mr
Weatherley is Chair of the APPG for Music Education and MP for Hove and Portslade. The ISM and
our corporate members Yamaha were sponsors of the under-18s category and offered winners entry
to the ISM Young Musicians programme which was also launched in the year.
The ISM’s annual conference at the LSO St Lukes venue included master classes, performances of
new works and a great deal of discussion of the National Plan for Music Education as well as the
inauguration of a new president, Suzi Digby.
Our in-house solicitors have been increasingly busy providing one-to-one legal advice to members
delivering education in its many and varied contexts. There has been a growing need for support for
those working for music services.
As the professional body for the sector, we have a responsibility to work with all our members,
growing our professional development programme to incorporate training on everything from
business skills through to hub management.
Details of all the work we do on behalf of the sector and our growing membership of well over 6,100
musicians, music educators and music organisations are available at ism.org.
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The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance
The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance is an independent, specialist provider of further
and higher education widely recognised as being one of Europe's leading schools of modern music.
Founded over a quarter of a century ago, the Institute is located in the heart of London's live music
scene, providing students with state of the art teaching, practice and performance facilities to
support a wide range of courses.
We are delighted to announce we have launched a host of new courses for the start of this academic
year; the MMus in Popular Music Performance is an avenue of continued study for students who
have distinguished themselves at undergraduate level, the new BA in Creative Musicianship aims to
develop each individual musicians unique ‘creative voice’ and our new Higher Diploma in Music
Business is designed to provide the skills and knowledge required for a career in music or in the
broader entertainment industries.
These new courses join the portfolio of the well-established three year BMus degree in Popular
Music Performance and one year Higher Diploma for guitarists, bassists, drummers and vocalists.
Validating partners include the University of East London and the College of North West London.
In addition to the innovative curriculum, we provide students with a wide range of clinics,
masterclasses, showcases and gigs to ensure they receive plenty or performance and social
opportunities. Highlights from 2011-2012 include visits from Guthrie Govan, Jennifer Batten and
New York fusion group Snarky Puppy. Our self-created Bandeoke went from strength to strength, as
did Songwriters’ Circle giving our growing songwriting contingent the chance to share their ideas.
Our partnerships with industry and venues saw students play at the Hard Rock Cafe as part of Sofas
& Strings - held in conjunction with BMI, Gibson, SAE and Hard Rock. Student bands entertained
guests at Taste of Christmas at ExCeL London, The Institute Choir (L.I.V.E.), sang at the St Pancras
Stations Sessions and The Vacations and Bobby Good won slots at Hop Farm Festival. To round off
the year for the BMus and FdA we held an End of Year Showcase, which saw over 25 acts take over
Proud Galleries’ ‘New Bands on the Block’ in Camden. The success of this lead to a similar event at
Proud involving 13 acts from the Higher Diploma. The Songwriters and Diploma students also had
Graduation Showcases at renowned live music venue The Bedford in Balham.
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Jazz Education
Since it is now obligatory to market everything we do, the pressure to put a positive spin on all our
doings is strong. But we can resist that pressure and still report some good news, whilst not
disguising the fact that in common with many arts organisations we are finding life more difficult.
Our jazz education panel represents the only country-wide jazz education forum, bringing together a
range of practitioners from school, youth, community and adult education and HE/conservatoire
settings and meeting at regular intervals. By common consent in addressing music education agenda
as well as specifically jazz education matters it fulfils a unique and valuable role.
In the training area, we have published an online music business resource which includes legal,
financial and copyright advice and, if the visitor count is anything to go by, is demonstrably
successful. More ambitiously, we are developing online curriculum resources designed to be of
practical help to classroom music teachers, instrumental tutors, and indeed to pupils and students
with sufficient DIY motivation. Of course, there is no substitute for the inspirational music teacher
who has knowledge, skill and understanding of jazz education, but such are thin on the ground, so
our task is to overcome the fear of the unknown, especially improvisation, prevalent among too
many music teachers. In these endeavours, we value our partnerships with many like-minded
agencies, such as the Associated Board, the Barbican Creative Learning, Yamaha Education, Serious,
the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), the National Youth Jazz Collective (NYJC), the MU, the
Scottish Jazz Federation and several conservatoires.
We set great store by the need to encourage music services to make a commitment to jazz
education and to that end we will be drawing hubs’ attention to available jazz education offers. One
of the high spots of 2011 was the high quality of submissions from local authorities for recognition in
our Will Michael Jazz Education Awards which are part of the long-running National Music
Council/Music Education Council Music Education Scheme.
Our partnership with NYJO, which constitutionally and financially has a formal base, has been
dominated by NYJO’s radical re-structuring and music policy reform. While the success of that
process is self-evident, it is a process and there remains some work still to be done to qualify for the
“National” epithet.
In common with most of the music education world we are now crossing our fingers for the right
outcome to the Government’s National Curriculum review!
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Leeds College of Music combines a broad curriculum with the rigour, focus and personal
approach of a conservatoire, leading to a more rewarding career in music.
2011/12 at Leeds College of Music began with a multi-million pound investment programme. This
included the refurbishment of studios, performance spaces, communal spaces and a major
investment into the latest equipment and technology.
An SSL G-series-based production studio provides state-of-the-art facilities for teaching purposes;
and LCoM became an All-Steinway School, joining the likes of Yale University’s School of Music, the
Juilliard School, New York and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. As the only English
conservatoire to hold the coveted All-Steinway School status, Leeds College of Music demonstrates a
commitment to excellence by providing its students with the best equipment possible for the study
of music, including around 70 pianos from the Steinway family, alongside those of other makers.
As part of becoming an All-Steinway School, a delegation from Leeds College of Music visited the
Steinway & Sons factory in Hamburg to hand-pick nine grand pianos. Professor Philip Meaden,
Principal, and Dr Randall Whittaker, Director of Curriculum and Research, were joined by a team of
experts including LCoM Visiting Professor Wolfgang Manz, Trevor Green - Chief Executive of the
Leeds International Pianoforte Competition (LIPC), and Dame Fanny Waterman - LIPC Founder, Chair
and Artistic Director. Leeds College
of Music subsequently became a
partner of the LIPC and is the official
practice venue for the 2012
competition.
Meeting the training standards of
the world’s number one brand,
Leeds College of Music also became
an Apple Accredited Training Centre
for Education (AATCe) at the
beginning of the year, incorporating
Apple certified exams into its
curriculum. In June 2012, that status
was upgraded to an Apple
Accredited Training Centre, and
LCoM is now able to offer the full range of Apple authorised courses to both internal students and
members of the public.
This academic year we welcomed renowned classical soprano, Deborah York; contemporary
musician and author, David Toop; and prominent German pianist Wolfgang Manz as visiting
professors. Visiting professors are actively involved with students through a range of masterclasses,
workshops and performances. In June, LCoM announced the appointment of one of the UK’s
brightest new classical music stars, Charlie Siem, as a Visiting Professor alongside world class solo
clarinettist Emma Johnson MBE and Jeremy Lascelles, Chief Executive of Chrysalis PLC.
Our strength as a conservatoire is the depth and breadth of our offering. That spans a Saturday
Music School, partnership in the Yorkshire Young Musicians Scheme and the Leeds Music Education
Partnership (Music Hub), a wide range of FE and HE courses, and a growing offer of short Personal
and Professional Development courses. In 2010/11, over 86% of our students gained first or upper
second class degrees, demonstrating clearly the success of our vision.
www.lcm.ac.uk
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Music For Youth
Music for Youth’s 2011 Season was another busy year. The gateway to the MFY Season, the Regional
Festival series comprised 74 festivals which took place in 62 venues across the UK. These Festivals
are a great opportunity for groups of all experience, background and genre to perform to new
audiences, listen to other groups from their local area and get valuable feedback from the MFY
Music Mentors.
Following the Regional Festivals, the week-long National Festival took place in Birmingham from 4-9
July, celebrating the enormous diversity and enthusiasm of youth music making from across the UK.
345 groups performed on the main stages of the festival and took part in inspirational workshops
and activities throughout the week. Alongside MFY workshops colleagues from other National Youth
Music Organisations (NYMOs) ran inspiring workshops throughout the week.
PLAY, the brand new composition for the 2011 MFY season, written by Tim Steiner, commissioned
by MFY and rockschool featured at the festival everyday in the form of PLAYtime workshops. These
were a series of informal lunchtime workshops and performances. Every day’s performance was
different with lots of creative input from participants. PLAYtime on Friday 8 July was extra large with
musicians from across the festival taking part in a unique, eclectic and enormous ensemble led by
the piece’s composer, Tim Steiner. On 5 July, MFY organised Upbeat as part of the National Festival.
Upbeat was a one day course designed for anyone working with young musicians. Packed with
practical activities and advice, delegates from all over the country attended Upbeat to work with
specialists to strengthen skills, discuss new creative approaches, take part in a performance of PLAY
and network with others working within the sector. Upbeat included an inspirational start to the
day from Suzi Digby and Joe Broughton followed by sessions led by Adey Grummet, the National
Youth Choir of Great Britain, Joe Broughton, Pete Churchill and Tim Steiner.
The culmination of
the MFY Season is the
Schools Prom
concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall. The
concerts celebrate
some of the most
talented young music
ensembles in the UK
and aims to foster the
creation of powerful
new music which
stretches young
people's potential as
performers,
innovators, creative
collaborators,
composers and leaders. The 2011 concerts took place on 7, 8 and 9 November, involving close to
3,000 performers.
Exciting and cutting edge collaborations included a collaboration based on Beyoncé’s Crazy In Love
bringing together East Riding Senior Percussion Ensemble, Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band and
rock band Innovence; a jazz collaboration between St Aidan’s High School Chamber Choir & St John
Fisher Catholic High School Jazz Orchestra; a huge collaboration on the commission PLAY involving
Wiltshire Children’s Massed Choir, Rip Roarers, TLA Steelband, Greater Gwent Youth Brass Band,
Page | 14
Ceòlraidh, Park High
Dhol Drummers,
Warwickshire County
Youth Orchestra and
Soul Patrol; a folk based
collaboration involving
The Mirga Brothers,
Morning Rush, BYMT Big
Phat Brass, Fitzwilliam
Street, NSG Big Band;
and a collaboration
between Wardle High
School Brass Band and
Ysgol Dinas Bran Male
Ensemble.
2011 also saw Classic
FM's Music Teacher of
the Year Award recognise good work in music education, contributing to the presence of important
VIP's including RT Hon Michael Gove MP (Secretary of State for Education), Sarah Teather MP
(Minister of State for Children and Families), Tim Loughton MP (Under-Secretary of State for
Children and Young Families)
“The festival was such a positive experience for all our pupils. They were buzzing with excitement
and extremely proud of their achievement.” Regional Festival Group leader
“The feedback was really helpful and we will definitely use the suggestions in our next rehearsal; it
was also wonderful to hear and watch the other groups perform. Thank you again for organising a
great event that was so beneficial to the students.” Regional Festival Group leader
www.mfy.org.uk
Page | 15
Musicians’ Union
Music for Youth National Festival – July 2011
The MU sponsored the Ensembles category at last year’s National Festival which we will do again
this year. We also had a trade stand at the “Upbeat” one day course which was focused on
leadership and featured instrumental and singing workshops.
Art of Teaching
The MU and MusicTeachers.co.uk launched the Art of Teaching project at the Music Learning Live
Conference in March. The idea behind the project is share good practice amongst instrumental and
vocal teachers. It’s an exciting new development to the MU’s partnership with MusicTeachers.co.uk
and one we hope will be a fantastic
resource for both teachers and students.
"We are thrilled to launch the first phase
of this exciting initiative to promote
inspirational teaching practice. Today we
are opening our dedicated YouTube
channel which hosts a wide range of films
in which distinguished teachers can be
seen working with their pupils and
exploring a wide variety of musical ideas."
- Crispin Woodhead, Director of MusicTeachers.co.uk
The Art of Teaching videos can be found at www.musicteachers.co.uk/youtube
National Learn to Play Day – March 31st
The MU supported the first National Learn
to Play Day, which offered free musical
instrument lessons to the public. It was a
huge success with nearly 70 music shops
in the UK taking part and giving close to
10,000 lessons to both brand new and
returning musicians. National Learn to
Play Day offered the perfect opportunity
for members of the public to start playing or making the move back into music, no strings attached.
We were able to promote the MU and how we can help music teachers and also the benefits of
joining.
Fran Hanley appointment
Fran joined the MU in May as the Music Education Official. Her impressive portfolio includes
extensively working as a professional flute player, music educator and arts manager. Most recently
she worked for Arts Council England as the Relationship Manager in the London Music Team. She
was involved in implementing the National Music Plan and worked with the emerging Music Hubs.
Page | 16
The Music Industries Association and Music for All charity
The Music Industries Association (MIA) is the UK trade association that represents the musical
instrument industry. It has the mission of “Creating and Encouraging Music Making”. MIA members
include the manufacturers, distributors, publishers, retailers and educators of instruments and
associated products. Members companies range from ABRSM to Yamaha and Classic fm to Fender,
covering all instrument types and musical genres and including music shops throughout the breadth
of the UK.
All activities are devoted towards promoting
the wide-ranging benefits of music making.
This includes substantial liaison with
government departments and the various
music education and advocacy bodies.
Matters such as keeping music in the
National Curriculum right through to the
success of the Live Music Bill are all part of
day to day activities. As, indeed, is support
for the new Music Hubs that have just been
announced.
The MIA also hosts the annual MIA Awards,
which celebrates the best people, products and companies in the sector.
The MIA offers a support service to help the industry to be able to exhibit at Overseas Trade Shows.
Finally, the MIA takes all possible actions to support and promote its members and this includes a
wide range of money-saving membership benefits and advice. Special focus is currently being put on
helping the UK’s independent music retailers to adapt to the real challenges facing the High Street in
these challenging times.
The MIA also runs the industry charity, Music for All (MfA). It has the mission of “Making More
Musicians” where it helps people of all ages and backgrounds to be able to start playing an
instrument. School-age children are a particular focus. It especially helps those who are not
fortunate enough to be able to access musical instruments and the lessons with which to learn. The
charity also promotes the wide-ranging benefits of music making. The recent National Learn to Play
Day was a great success and will become an annual event offering free “taster” lessons to the
general public
For more information about the organisations, go to:
www.mia.org.uk
www.musicforall.org.uk
www.learntoplayday.com
Page | 17
The Music Masters and Mistresses Association
The MMA is one of the longest-established and largest national associations for people working in
the music teaching profession. Our more than five hundred members come from a wide range of
schools and include directors of music, music teachers, instrumental teachers and school music
administrators. The MMA aims to support its members in the delivery of first-class music education
and provides a network of like-minded professionals who are passionate about music and its
potential to enrich the lives of young people.
The MMA produces several publications, which are highly valued by our members, education
professionals and parents alike. Our termly magazine Ensemble is distributed nationwide and
contains association news as well as exclusive interviews with leading artists and educators. There
are also regular ebulletins to members. The Music Directory is a unique guide to the music
departments and music scholarship opportunities at many of the UK’s leading independent schools.
Our Yearbook is a printed directory of members and relevant organisations offering useful contacts.
The highlight of the MMA year is undoubtedly the annual conference, which takes place in May at a
different host School. It offers members the opportunity to discover new teaching methods, learn
about recent publications and new resources and perhaps most importantly to socialise in a friendly
and convivial atmosphere, sharing ideas and experiences. This year Rugby School hosted a very
successful conference for 120 delegates with sessions on numerous relevant issues and outstanding
musical performances. This included a keynote speech by Deborah Annetts on “Henley and
Beyond”. In recent years the Conference has been held in Cambridge (2011) as well as Brighton
(2010). In 2013 the MMA conference will visit St Edmund’s School, Canterbury.
Complimenting the annual conference is our INSET programme that seeks to provide relevant and
practical information to aid professional development for instrumental teachers, classroom
teachers and directors of music. Recent days have included expert advice on such topics as
conducting, the sensitivity of the treble voice, and exam specifications, as well as a day for Music
Administrators. Plans for 2012-13 include a day at Eton College looking at GCSE and A Level matters,
a day at the London Oratory School for Music Administrators, a day of Music Technology training at
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and a day for directors of music and school chaplains in
conjunction with the Royal Schools of Church Music at Caversham School.
Page | 18
Music Publishers Association
The Music Publishers Association (MPA) exists to safeguard the interests of music publishers and the
writers signed to them. It provides them with a forum and a collective voice, offers them a range of
practical services, represents their interests to the wider music industry, the media and the public
and works to inform and to educate the wider public in the importance and value of copyright.
MPA is a member of UK Music, and the MPA’s assistant chief executive Jenny Goodwin chaired the
UK Music Education and Skills Group throughout 2011, coordinating the commercial music industry’s
policy in this area.
The MPA has been kept busy over the past year in the public policy arena, engaging with
Government both directly and via UK Music on the Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and
the resultant Copyright Consultation. Whilst resisting the weakening of copyright the MPA has
supported initiatives to improve the speed, efficiency and flexibility of licensing, including the
publisher-led Global Repertoire Database project, and Richard Hooper’s report into the feasibility of
a Digital Copyright Exchange. These issues have also been addressed at a European level through
the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP).
The MPA offers a programme of training events including its Induction Course for Newcomers to
Music Publishing, which takes place four time per year. In addition the MPA in conjunction with
MMF Training runs Professional Development Programmes in Music Publishing and Music
Management. A day-long seminar - Licensing: The Current Climate and The Future Forecast - was
held in July 2011.
The MPA also administers the Richard Toeman
Scholarship, an annual award to support the
personal professional development and progress of
outstanding individuals within the music publishing
industry. The 2011 winners were Fiona Bolton and
Louisa Rainbird. The awards were presented at the
2011 MPA AGM.
Part of the role of the MPA is to promote
understanding of music publishing amongst a
variety of audiences. To this end, MPA
representatives took part in a number of external
events during the year including BASCA’s SongFest,
the Great Escape convention in Brighton, MusicConnex and Vision Sound Music, an ambitious 3-day
programme of discussions and presentations held at London’s Southbank Centre in September.
MPA representatives were also to be found spreading the good word at presentations to students at
the University of Hertfordshire and Bucks New University, and at Urban Development’s Industry
Takeover event.
More information, including details of all MPA Training events can be found at
www.mpaonline.org.uk
Page | 19
National Association of Music Educators
NAME continues to work on behalf of its members to promote high quality education for all.
We held our annual conference in September 2011 for the second consecutive year at Yarnfield
Park. “Musical Pathways” was the theme and delegates enjoyed a full programme of lively keynote
speeches, practical music-making workshops, research seminars and debates.
Since then, we have been involved in
various regional activities, including a
music education conference in
Leicestershire and a north-west
conference on planning for the future of
music education. Members in London
met together to discuss the National
Plan for Music and the National
Curriculum. Several NAME events
were arranged in partnership with other
organisations. A successful London
Conference, focussing on music for
children in challenging circumstances,
was run in conjunction with Rich Mix
and Sound Connections. In the East of England, NAME held seminars with Cambridge Primary
Review on “Singing the curriculum” and Sound and Music on “Composing the curriculum”. NAME
members in the south-east came together in Oxford for a meeting held in conjunction with
Blackwells Music Shop and Oxfordshire Music Service. They also joined East Sussex Music for a
debate on the Ofsted report “Wider still and wider”.
Much work has been undertaken in connection with the changing educational scene. Our specialist
focus groups led a symposium on the future of music education (see
http://www.name.org.uk/projects/reports/name-symposium-current-developments-musiceducation) and undertook a consultation of members on the government’s teacher training
proposals. (http://www.name.org.uk/projects/reports/names-response-governments-ittconsultation) The Music and ICT Special Interest Group published a report “Moving forward with
music technology” in the spring issue of NAME Magazine and, in the light of recommendations in
Ofsted’s recent report, is now developing planning further.
A new book was added to NAME’s range of publications. Launched at the 2011 Conference,
“Musical Pathways” provides a valuable insight into the many and varied pathways followed by a
wide range of musicians and educators. A NAME Guide to Music Education Hubs was recently
published on the NAME website http://www.name.org.uk/projects/reports/music-education-hubsbrief-guide
Towards the end of 2011 NAME was contracted by the University of Reading to manage “Musician
and Teacher”, a research project aimed at understanding employment priorities for music educators.
In March a successful study-day organised by NAME was attended by a good number of students
Page | 20
and lecturers from higher education establishments throughout England. A report outlining the
research outcomes will be published later this summer.
Significant time this
year has been spent
on working with other
national organisations.
For example, we are
developing with FMS
and ISM Great Music
Great Schools, a
campaign aimed at
informing headteachers of the value
of music in their
schools. At the same
time, on-going
discussions are taking
place between NAME and FMS about coming together to create a new organisation for music
education. This being a period of change for music education, that brings exciting new
opportunities as well as challenges.
Page | 21
National Youth Choir of Scotland Education
NYCoS has always recognised the value of music education and outreach work and has over the
years built a rich portfolio of activity, based upon on the philosophy of composer and educator
Zoltán Kodály. Hundreds of music practitioners and non specialist teachers from a range of levels
and backgrounds have attended NYCoS workshops, one-day courses and training weekends
focussing on the Kodály approach. Key developments in 2011/12 session include:
Accredited Kodály Course
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, in partnership with NYCoS, now offers a series of module-based
courses on Kodály Musicianship and Kodály Methodology – the first of its kind in Scotland. The
classes, delivered by Kodály educator and NYCoS Education Consultant, Lucinda Geoghegan, provide
tuition on the philosophies of Zoltán Kodály, in personal musicianship and educational pedagogy.
The aim is to provide a Post Graduate Certificate in Kodály Education.
ABRSM Endorsement
NYCoS’ musicianship programme, Go For Bronze/Silver/Gold, devised and written by Christopher Bell
and Lucinda Geoghegan, offers a carefully graded programme of essential musicianship skills using
the principles of Zoltán Kodály. In 2011, Go For Gold received a valuable endorsement from ABRSM
meaning a successful pass at Go for Gold level will be accepted as a substitute for the ABRSM Grade
5 Theory/Musicianship/Jazz requirement for progression to Grade 6 Practical. In June 2012, 40
members of NYCoS area choirs sat both aural and written parts of the new test.
Patron of NYCoS Education appointed
Following a very successful NYCoS Education
conference at the Royal Conservatoire of
Scotland in August 2011, Dr László Nemes
agreed to become Patron of NYCoS
Education. NYCoS has benefitted greatly
from the advice and encouragement of Dr
Nemes in developing its own Kodály
programme and the organisation is delighted
to welcome him on board.
Mini Music Makers, NYCoS’ music offering
Photograph by Louise Davis Photography
for under 5s, continues to flourish, bringing
the total number of children and
parent/carers experiencing music each week to almost 500.
NYCoS’ Curriculum for Excellence programme – Active Learning Through Music – continues to
achieve great results and acts as a springboard for holistic development. The programme aims to
give class teachers the confidence to “do it themselves”. Youth Music Initiative funding has allowed
Early Years and First Level packs to be piloted in schools in West Lothian and to be rolled out in
schools in the Highlands, the Borders and across Scotland.
In August 2012, NYCoS ran its inaugural five-day Kodály summer school. The summer school offered
adults involved in music education an opportunity to experience an intensive course covering the
major elements of the Kodály approach to music education. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
accredited modules were available. The NYCoS Kodály Summer School included workshops by
Christopher Bell, Dr Laszló Nemes, Lucinda Geoghegan and Helga Dietrich.
Page | 22
National Youth Orchestra
2012 has been a highly successful year for the National Youth Orchestra (NYO). There was a 12%
increase in applications for the 2012 orchestra with over 650 young musicians applying to for a
place. Following auditions, 165 of the country’s most talented and dedicated young musicians
enjoyed three diverse, challenging and stimulating residencies during which they learned from their
peers, shared their passion with others, and produced exceptional performances.
In winter, NYO began the year with a celebratory programme of British music conducted by Paul
Daniel. This included Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Hammered Out, Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Walton’s
spectacular Symphony No.1 and the world premiere of Anna Meredith’s Handsfree in which the
orchestra performed without instruments, using only clapping, body percussion, singing and beat
box. Concerts at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, and Barbican Hall in London were greeted with great
acclaim: “With Walton's Symphony No. 1 we heard what the orchestra was capable of and it was
exhilarating.” London Evening Standard
The spring residency took place at Durham University, building upon our thriving partnerships in the
North East. NYO worked with members of leading folk band Bellowhead and conductor Charles
Hazlewood to produce a unique programme which explored new connections between folk and
classical traditions. Alongside Kodaly’s, Hary Janos Suite, members performed commissions by
Kathryn Tickell and Patrick Nunn at The Sage Gateshead and Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall.
“Working with Bellowhead was fantastic; I gained so much musically from them. I really enjoyed
learning the folk tunes and improvising around them.” Sophie Cheng, cello
NYO further cemented its successful partnership with the West Midlands during the summer
residency at Birmingham University. Under the baton of NYO’s Principal Conductor, Vasily Petrenko,
the orchestra performed an epic and audacious programme which included BBC commission by Nico
Muhly, Gait, Varèse’s Tuning Up, Messiaen’s Turnangalîla Symphonie and Meredith’s Handsfree.
Three spectacular concerts took place at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Snape Maltings Concert Hall
and The Royal Albert Hall, as part of the BBC Proms. “The concert from the National Youth
Orchestra was the joyous, massively exuberant event this orchestra specialises in.” The Telegraph
As part of NYO’s mission to be the most inspirational orchestra for young people in Britain, our
musicians have shared their enthusiasm, knowledge and skills with hundreds of young people
nationwide via peer-led outreach activities and free performances in public spaces.
Page | 23
Ocarina Workshop
During 2011/12, Ocarina Workshop has led large-scale music festivals, trained KS1 and KS2 class
teachers, monitored the progress of 100,000 school Ocarina players and conducted research into the
world history of Ocarinas and their use in Education.
Ocarina Festivals have involved up to 500 pupils at a time. First-time players from Years 2 to 6 have
learned to play several full-octave tunes in just 90 minutes. Continuing players have shown
remarkable skill in performing ensemble pieces in up to three-part harmony in a wide range of
musical styles, and from many periods of history. Music Festivals for 500 children at a time have so
far been made possible through Wider Opportunities funding. We trust that Music Hubs will show
interest in hosting similar Ocarina events to broaden their children’s musical experience.
Over 1,000
KS1 and KS2
class
teachers
have been
trained to
teach
whole-class
Ocarina
playing.
Many participating teachers, including some in the later years of their career, admitted to never
having played a musical instrument before. During the training, all were equipped to teach classes of
30 children to play together. The simplicity of the Ocarina and the graphical notation of Ocarina
music make the Ocarina an ideal instrument for mobilising class teachers to lead active music
lessons, as recommended in the OFSTED report, Music in school: wider still and wider.
The Ocarina was second only to Recorder in number of instruments supplied during the four years of
the New Instrument Purchase Fund. Ocarina Workshop is committed to overseeing the wise use of
Ocarinas already supplied, and is currently working to extend the repertoire played on Ocarinas in
schools, to promote good practice, and to ‘educate the educators’, many of whom are unaware of
the untapped potential of English 4-hole Ocarinas in the classroom.
In preparation for next year’s 50th Anniversary of the English Ocarina’s invention and the 30th year
of English Ocarinas in Schools, David Liggins has updated the New Grove Dictionary of Music and
Musicians ‘Ocarina’ article and written a new entry for the 2013 New Grove Dictionary of Musical
Instruments (Oxford Music Online). David has also performed on 2,000-year-old Ocarinas as part of
his keynote addresses to education audiences around the world.
The aim of ‘making every school a musical school’ has underpinned Ocarina Workshop’s work
throughout 2011/12 as class teachers have learned to teach music and children have learned to
make music with these unique Vessel Flutes. www.ocarina.co.uk
Page | 24
Orff Society UK
In the year 2011/12 the Orff Society has given one and two-day courses in Richmond (Surrey),
Exeter, East London and Retford. In July a most successful International Summer School took place at
Edge Hill University, near Liverpool, and welcomed participants from across the UK, Australia,
Singapore and Ireland. Other courses that were given include a day led by Kate Buchanan at Queen’s
University, Belfast. A new module is to be provided as part of the BMus programme of the Royal
Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester entitled ‘Orff-Schulwerk: its growth and practice in
the UK, Europe and beyond from the 1960s to the present day’. Kate Buchanan also contributed to
two of the Teaching Agency (TA)-funded ‘additional modules’ with Manchester Metropolitan
University (MMU) RNCM and Edge Hill University who have included Orff-focussed activities in the
content. Sarah Hennessy gave two workshops at the NAME (National Association for Music
Educators) Conference last October and subsequently was invited to contribute three workshops to
a one-day conference for primary teachers in East Sussex. She also led Orff workshops for student
teachers at the Hochschule für Musik, Würzburg (Germany) and in Padua University (Italy).
In July we were well represented at the annual meeting of the Orff Forum at the Orff Institute in
Salzburg. The Orff Forum liaises with Orff Societies and Associations from all over the world. Over 50
of these associations now cover every continent.
At present there is an Exhibition, first put together in 2011 and called “50 years Orff Institute”, that
is touring the world. It has already been shown in Pittsburgh/USA; Perth/Australia; Piosassco/Italy
and Orivesi/Finland. Future destinations are Hamilton/New Zealand and Seoul/South Korea. We are
hoping eventually to show it in the UK when we can find the coincidence of an event and a venue.
Page | 25
Rhinegold Education
Rhinegold Education is the leading provider of music education resources for Secondary schools, and
we are proud to be the only publisher to support all the major GCSE and A level Music and Music
Technology specifications with a comprehensive range of study guides, listening tests and revision
guides. We are extremely passionate about what we do – all our editors are specialist music editors
from a broad range of musical backgrounds – and we make it part of our mission to promote the
value of music education.
We became part of the Music Sales Group in September 2010, separating the books side of the
business from the magazines, which are still published independently by Rhinegold Publishing. Now
firmly embedded into the Music Sales family, we have had an exceptionally busy year, broadening
the list of publications into World Music with our Teach & Play series in partnership with InspireWorks, working with Rockschool on a new series taking a unique approach to GCSE Music, and much
more besides. We’ve been working on a brand new Rhinegold Education website which will launch
in time for the new academic year, where it will be much easier to find products, see sample pages
of books and customer reviews, access supplementary resources, and where we’ll also provide extra
support to students with revision tips and careers advice.
Publishing, like education, is changing rapidly, and in line with what we’re hearing from teachers and
students, we are turning our attention to digitising our publications. Work has been under way this
year to pave the way for some very exciting new types of resources, and Music Sales as a whole is
looking to embrace a digital future to support all aspects of
music education, from Primary to Secondary classrooms, and
beginner instrumentalists to experienced musicians, with
innovative products published in a range of formats and
making use of a variety of technologies.
Page | 26
Royal Academy of Music
Founded in 1822, the Royal Academy of Music’s impact on musical life, both in the UK and abroad, is
inestimable.
Every year talented young musicians from over fifty countries come to study at the Academy,
attracted by renowned teachers and a rich artistic culture that broadens their musical horizons,
develops their professional creativity, and fosters their entrepreneurial spirit. Academy students
benefit from an unrivalled calendar of concerts, operas, musical theatre shows and other events, in
which they work regularly with leading practitioners. In 2011–12 these included Pierre-Laurent
Aimard, Django Bates, Martyn Brabbins, Semyon Bychkov, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Mark Elder, Sir John
Eliot Gardiner, Edward Gardner, Susanna Mälkki, Trevor Pinnock, Christian Thielemann, Yan Pascal
Tortelier, Mitsuko Uchida and Jac van Steen, and the season culminated in joint orchestral
performances with The Juilliard School in New York and at the BBC Proms in London conducted by
John Adams.
The strength of the Academy's events schedule was recognised with appearances in two shortlist
categories at the 2012 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards. Academy recordings – most recently a
disc of students composers' reworkings of compositions by Frank Zappa, performed by the
Academy's Manson Ensemble and conducted by Franck Ollu – are regularly heard on national radio.
All these facets of Academy life contribute to what The Guardian has recently described as the
Academy’s ‘cosmopolitan confidence that is in tune with the global music industry’. The Academy
regularly bolsters further its illustrious teaching staff: some renowned musicians who have been
appointed during the academic year 2011–12 include Sir Harrison Birtwistle (Visiting Professor of
Composition); Tansy Davies (professor of composition); Dave Douglas (International Jazz Artist in
Residence); Joanna MaGregor (Head of Piano); Robin O'Neill (Visiting Professor of Bassoon); Sir
Brindley Sherratt (Visiting Professor of Voice) and Maxim Vengerov (Menuhin Professor of Music,
who visits every term to work with students in masterclasses, one-to-one teaching and other
events).
The Academy’s museum is home to one of the world’s most significant collections of instruments
and artefacts, including stringed instruments by Stradivari, Guarneri and the Amati family;
manuscripts by Purcell, Handel and Vaughan Williams; and an incomparable and growing collection
of performing materials that belonged to eminent musicians.
As the Academy approaches its bicentenary it goes from strength to strength. It has recently been
rated the best conservatoire for research and the second-highest rated institution in the country for
student satisfaction.
Page | 27
The Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) is forty years old in 2012, but its heritage stretches
back to 1893 when Sir Charles Hallé founded the Royal Manchester College of Music. A leading
international conservatoire, the RNCM trains students to world class levels in music through a
specialised learning programme of the highest quality, delivered by internationally renowned
teachers and underpinned by a unique artistic programme of performances.
2011/2012 has been a significant year for the RNCM.
The School of Strings appointed world-renowned
violist Nobuko Imai as its International Chair in Viola
and announced that Garth Knox will join as
International Tutor in Viola from September 2013.
Both appointments enhance the viola faculty’s
position as one of the strongest in Europe. The RNCM
also welcomed exceptional jazz trumpeter and
Yamaha Artist, Rex Richardson, as its new
International Tutor in Trumpet.
The volume of student successes across all schools has been significant. In the space of 12 months,
mezzo-soprano Kathryn Rudge graduated with an International Artist Diploma, made her début with
English National Opera, Opera North and Glyndebourne on Tour, and was named in The Times as
2011’s New Face of Classical Music. Gergely Madaras, the RNCM’s Junior Fellow in Conducting 20102012, became the inaugural recipient of the ENO Charles Mackerras Fellowship, awarded to an
exceptional emerging talent in celebration of the Australian conductor who died in 2010 and, in
addition to being signed by Intermusica for worldwide general management, third year student
Jamie Phillips was announced as the Hallé’s new Assistant Conductor. In the Royal Over-Seas League
competition, the Aurora Percussion Duo (comprising postgraduate Le Yu and third year student Delia
Stevens) won the ARTS Ensemble Award and mezzo-soprano Helen Sherman, who graduated in
2010, was awarded the Australian Musical Association Prize.
During 2011/12 the RNCM was pleased to announce exciting new partnerships with Opera North
(England’s national opera company based in Leeds), aimed at nurturing and inspiring young musical
talent in the North; One Education Music, aimed at enhancing the quality of music-making in
Manchester; and Foden’s Band, set to offer exciting opportunities for RNCM brass students,
composers and conductors.
As a performance venue, in excess of 450 concerts and events took place at the College throughout
the academic year by both RNCM students and world-class performers. In 2012, this attribute was
awarded when PRS for Music placed it 7th in its list of the Top 100 UK Performance Venues; a
position with secured the RNCM as the only Manchester establishment to feature in the top 10. As
Paul Driver wrote in the Sunday Times: ‘Without the RNCM, Manchester’s musical life would be
drastically curtailed: it ranks with Bridgewater Hall as the city’s classical performance centre. No
college has such a role in London…’
Page | 28
Schools Music Association
It has been a busy year …… but then aren’t they all? The Council have been most generous in their
time and enthusiasm in all we have done. SMA completed its series of Cathedral’s Festivals with a
successful day in Manchester in March. This was the last occasion when the “old team” got
together. We are extremely grateful to Ronald Corp, our conductor, and to Maxwell Pryce MBE and
Christine Newman, our long-standing and loyal members, who have organised and managed the
entire series. We have launched a pilot project, which will replace this series. We worked with
Voces8, an a cappella ensemble (http://www.voces8.com/web ), a most talented young group of
singers. They went into several schools in the Reading area to work with the Choirs, and this
culminated in a Festival event at The Abbey School Reading Junior Department, attended by two
hundred and fifty children. (http://www.theabbey.co.uk/?site=theabbey.co.uk )
We have also organised teaching days as part of our CPD programme. These ranged from a Singing
Day in Plymouth, to a Conducting Day in Crieff. However we have found that teachers have not
been able to get release time or money as easily as they have in the past.
We have also been looking at ways to celebrate our 75th birthday year which starts now! We were in
fact founded in 1938. SMA may be of pensionable age, but we are going to have a ball this year and
we hope you will join us in making this a memorable year for music making. We have plans to
publish a songbook for members to use. In addition we are going to hold a gala musical event in the
Royal Albert Hall on November 5th 2013. Working with Barnardo’s, we are organising an enormous
stage choir, to sing, conducted by Douglas Coombes.
We are also intending to break the World Record for the largest ocarina ensemble playing together,
which was established in China in 2010 and stands at 831.
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-3000/largest-ocarina-ensemble/
We intend to invite an enormous audience, who will also be able to join us in our world record
attempt. At the moment we have interest from a fostered children’s choir in Nantwich and a
children’s Choir in Aberdeen! This project will have a legacy involving around 5,000 children who will
have the opportunity to learn the ocarina. We plan to celebrate this with a festival in 2014.
The Schools Music Association has been consulted on all of the major national issues affecting music
education including the National Plan for Music Education and the National Curriculum Review. We
have had opportunities to comment on written proposals and to attend national consultation
meetings and make our views known. We have tried to put forward the voice of the teacher who is
concerned with the child and his music as our first priority. We have contributed to writing the
drafts of these music policy documents and commenting on what different groups have put
together. We have been working closely with ISM to support the campaign to re-establish the Arts
in the EBacc, and were quoted as the “influential SMA” in Sunday papers.
We have continued to work on closer relationships with other music organisations during last year.
Our membership drive has resulted in a small but steady increase in numbers. Council is considering
the future viability of SMA and the possible amalgamation with another music organisation or
organisations. This is obviously a significant matter and one on which all members will need to be
consulted.
Page | 29
Sound Connections
The last 12 months have been a period of opportunity and significant development for Sound
Connections. Against a landscape of changes in funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music,
the recommendations from the Henley Review and the subsequent Music Plan, we have continued
to develop, support and empower individual music practitioners and organisations to deliver high
quality music making with children and young people across London.
Our membership has grown, with over 4,000 people receiving our fortnightly e-bulletin containing
development opportunities, jobs and news from the music education sector. Through the
MusicLeader programme we supported over 500 individuals with information, advice, guidance and
training. As the lead network provider for Sing Up, we continued to work in partnership with all 33
music services and regional organisations across the capital.
Through the Music Action Zone, we worked
in partnership with nine organisations who
engaged over 1,300 young people, many of
whom were in extreme challenging
circumstances. We significantly developed
our Early Years strand of work, which has
enabled us to establish a unique network of
Early Years practitioners and organisations
across London. Our young Londoners music
council, Wired4Music, engaged over 150
young people in a range of activities from
organising events to assisting with consultations.
Across the year we have developed significant partnerships with the Greater London Authority,
Trinity Laban, Music for Youth, Rich Mix, ICMP, British Music Experience, National Association of
Music Educators and Music Learning Live to mention a few.
With the conclusion of both the MusicLeader and YMAZ programmes, we are currently ensuring that
the significant achievements of this work are fully embedded into our ongoing plans. We are
delighted to be the only organisation in London to take forward a major programme of strategic
support for young people around musical inclusion. Discussions are already underway with the 29
London Music Education Hubs, the Bridge organisations and the GLA to ensure that our ongoing
work has the maximum strategic impact, and benefits as many young people as possible.
Our work around Early Years and singing continues to grow and our ongoing challenge is to ensure
that we are able to sustain this level of support for the music education sector in London over the
coming period. We are also working with the music hubs to ensure that the voices of young people
are firmly embedded within the planning process.
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Sound Sense
It’s been a challenging year for community musicians in Sound Sense membership. Almost all –
individuals or organisations – are funded through the public purse, and have suffered as a result of
financial cuts (a success story for Sound Sense itself therefore, has been to see a modest increase in
membership this year). But the need for community music activities, which support growth and
development in some of the most disadvantaged people in the UK, has never been clearer.
Music work with young people continues to dominate community musicians’ work. We were
delighted by the government’s National Plan for Music Education and the subsequent development
of music education hubs (Sound Sense’s director was co-author of the vision for these hubs in the
second Music Manifesto report of 2006) with their emphases on inclusive approaches to music
education and partnership working between all types of music educator; and we will support
community musicians in playing a full part in the new hubs.
But this has been a year when other uses of community music have gained critical mass. One is the
increasing interest in work with older people. While some of this is about work in ill-health, much is
made of using music with those who
are well and want to stay that way.
Examples from Sound Sense members
abound, and much of the thinking is
being drawn together by Institute of
Education, with whom we have a
partnership disseminating research
and supporting development of
training materials for community
musicians wanting to work in this
field.
Music can aid community cohesion, so
the research tells us. But carrying out
such work is challenging and we need to know more about which approaches work best. So eight
Sound Sense members are carrying out with us and our partners Making Music a flagship project
which aims to answer the research question: “How can you set up choirs in areas of disadvantage
and support them to become sustainable?” (The emerging answers include “with care and
thoughtfulness,” “with many partners,” and “with food.”)
Photograph by Mark Savage
The work of a community music is therefore bound up not only in music itself, but in the purpose for
which it is being used; and the professional development of community musicians involves a
complex mix of skills, knowledge and behaviours. We’re exploring that through a multi-partner
project, ArtWorks, a major initiative of Paul Hamlyn Foundation aiming to develop the professional
practice of artists working in participatory settings, and which is weaving a path through the myriad
of standards, codes of practice and qualifications related to this field so that we can provide better
quality experiences for our participants.
www.soundsense.org
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Trinity College London
There have been several major UK and international developments at Trinity College London over
the last year. At the heart of our UK activity has been working with nearly 100 music services in
supporting them through the transition into music education hubs, and focussing on meeting their
emerging needs in key areas such as providing CPD, supporting Wider Opps, and providing
progression routes for young people.
One key activity has been the development of the legacy of the KS2 music CPD programme, run in
partnership with The Open University. This falls into two areas:
Online and Face to face CPD for music educators
Assessment and teacher development structures for Wider Opps and the transition beyond.
Our new CPD offer 'SoundEd CPD' - still an OU partnership- provides online and F2F CPD for
individual music educators working in any music education context, and extends beyond the UK to
the teachers in over 60 other countries. Music education hubs can design bespoke routes for their
teachers- SoundEd provides INSET training and staff development sessions, integrated into the
online learning and resources. The online provision is free for all teachers.
The new assessment suite 'Music Tracks', designed for and with music services, provides clear
progression routes from whole class instrumental and vocal tuition for young learners, and bridges
the gap between whole class and instrumental teaching through whole class assessment structures
and small group exams at initial, grade 1 and grade 2 levels. It also offers comprehensive teacher
support and professional development through access to SoundEd CPD online and face-to-face
INSET sessions for all teachers. Pupils can achieve their Arts Award Discover award through the
Music Tracks programme.
The brand new Rock and Pop syllabus launched in March 2012 in the Uk and internationally.
Performance is at the core of this syllabus, reflecting the way rock and pop musicians learn today.
With song lists spanning a range of artists from the Rolling Stones and David Bowie to Kings of Leon
and Jessie J - and consisting exclusively of authentic rock and pop repertoire- students can learn and
have their efforts recognised while playing the music they love. Graded exams are available from
Initial to Grade 8 for Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals and a new online store makes
materials available via digital downloads.
Our cultural education remit has also expanded - in March, Arts Award launched two new levels
'Discover and Explore' in response to overwhelming demand for KS2 appropriate levels. Additionally,
Trinity as been awarded responsibility for Artsmark and will be developing and running the award
nationally in partnership with Arts Council England. Trinity was also selected as one of two
organisation to create a module for the new qualification for creative practitioners working with
children and young people, launching in 2013.
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Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is the UK’s only conservatoire of music and
contemporary dance, leading collaboration and exploration across the two artforms.
This has been a busy and exciting year for Trinity Laban. To launch the Southbank Centre's Cultural
Olympiad and to celebrate the acclaimed German
composer's 60th birthday, the Trinity Laban Symphony
Orchestra gave the London premiere of Heiner
Goebbels' edgy, urban soundscape Surrogate Cities at
the Royal Festival Hall. The performance was part of
the BBC's Music Nation weekend and also included
"Exploded!” a festival of new work inspired by
Goebbel's orchestral tour de force, curated by
choreographer Lea Anderson within the Royal Festival
Hall’s public spaces. This performance was a huge
success and received wide critical acclaim: “The
orchestra was the real star”(The Guardian).
Trinity Laban was also at the centre of the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Aprilwith our
Symphony Orchestra performing a concert under the
baton of Gerry Cornelius which included a specially
commissioned work, Diamond Greenwich, composed
by alumnus (and teacher of composition at Trinity
Laban) Errollyn Wallen MBE. It was performed by a
choir made up of children from schools across the
Royal Borough of Greenwich and Trinity Laban’s
community-based World Choir to HM The Queen
when she formally re-opened the Cutty Sark.
In more royal celebrations, our junior and senior students joined the Mayor's Jubilee Band to play A
celebration, a brass work by Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman. The band premiered this
alongside other well-known classics on board one of the ten music barges which formed part of the
1000 boat flotilla.
This year has also been a year of new and innovative collaboration between the faculties of dance
and music as composition students Mike MacLennan and Helen Whitcher created new pieces for
Transitions Dance Company’s international tour. This year Transitions toured with a mixed bill by
three international artists: Hubert Essakow, Martin Nachbar and Shang Chi Sun.
Trinity Laban also hosted the Olympic Torch Relay, which left from our Laban Building in Deptford on
Monday 23July.
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The Voices Foundation
Despite the changing landscape for music education provision, The Voices Foundation has continued
its mission to transform children’s lives through singing during 2011-12.
Our intensive one-year, in-school programme has run in 45 primary schools across the country this
year; as a result, our team of Advisory Teachers have trained nearly 500 teaching staff - the vast
majority of them non-specialists - to deliver high-quality, singing-based curriculum music to
approximately 13,000 children aged 5-11 years.
In addition, our off-site 5-Day
Methodology Courses, held this year in
London and Leeds, have proved as
popular as ever with music specialists
from schools, music support staff from
Local Authorities and others working in
the music education sector. From
feedback received thus far, delegates
were inspired by the aural/vocal
approach which forms the cornerstone
of our philosophy; many felt the course
to have been one of the best music
education-focused training opportunities
they had ever experienced.
With school budgets under increasing pressure, and charitable trusts and foundations overwhelmed
by funding applications, we were delighted to welcome a new collaborative project with the John
Lewis Partnership, which has seen sponsorship for one-year programmes in schools holding
community links to selected department stores. This project is set to continue, with further schools’
programmes being part-funded for 2012-13.
This academic year has also witnessed the second phase of our joint project with The Bach Choir,
supporting their choral outreach work in inner London primary schools across the Tri-borough region
with curriculum music training for teachers. The project culminates on 5 August in a BBC Prom
concert; children from these schools and the Choir will be joined by the BBC Singers, and the
National Youth Choir of Great Britain, to perform the premiere of a specially commissioned work by
Bob Chilcott, The Angry Planet.
From November 2011 onwards, following the publication of the National Plan, we were immersed in
discussions with potential music education hubs; following the ACE announcement of successful bids
in May, we are delighted to be working closely with numerous hubs across the country as they work
through their business plans, supporting their Singing Strategy and contributing to their CPD strands.
And finally, as the academic year draws to a close, we’re hard at work preparing for the launch of an
exciting, brand new resource, which will offer a clear structured progression of learning for KS1.
Page | 34
Wells Cathedral School
The top priority for Wells this academic year has been planning for our new performance space, a
concert hall with outstanding acoustics for playing, recording, creating, and learning, for both
students and teachers.
At Wells we are committed to creating opportunities and resources for young musicians outside the
school and to instilling a sense of responsibility for sharing the joys of making music in our students.
Alongside instrumental and singing days, workshops, curriculum resources, our virtual work reflects
our desire to reach beyond the confines of our lovely city.
In 2005 Wells Cathedral School launched its first interactive music product. The Virtual Javanese
Gamelan, immediately won its class in the British Film and Video Council's Learning on Screen
Awards, and has proved itself time and time again across the world through an excess of 18000
downloads.
In 2009 a second module was produced, taking a similar approach with on screen activities, all
controlled via the regular QWERTY keyboard, integrating performing, listening and composing, but
with a focus on African Drumming.
Shortly a range of new products are about to be launched. A version of the Virtual Javanese Gamelan
has been developed for use with mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad, along with versions
for the Android operating system.
The VJG mobile app, will differ from the original desktop programme in a number of ways. It will
focus purely on performance and will include the full range of instruments available from Gamelan
Sumber Laras, the school's own Javanese Gamelan. It will also include more pieces to play. There will
be some refinements to the experience of playing some of the instruments, incorporating the
technique of 'damping' notes, where appropriate, as with the real thing.
It will be possible, therefore, to carry an entire gamelan around on a phone or tablet device, and
play alone, against a backing track, or with any number of friends. Experienced players, could form
an iPad choir, and play any piece suited to a gamelan tuned to laras slendro.
It will be available free of charge from the App Store and Android equivalent.
Meanwhile the original tried and tested desktop applications will still be available, refreshed in a
new brand and revamped for modern operating systems.
These are still free of charge and are now available from:
www.wellsmusicacademy.org
Page | 35
Yamaha
Class Band - In June 2011 we were in the early stages of our pilot project partnerships with Class
Band, started first with Coventry Performing Arts Service. All 3 pilot schools performed at Warwick
Arts centre in June and Yamaha Class Band Ambassador YolaDa Brown joined the students for a
masterclass and workshop.
Class Band was presented at the FMS conference in Manchester on 17th and 18th June and in
September we launched the Class Band project with Staffordshire Performing Arts Service. We were
invited to present to the All Party Parliamentary
Group on Music Education at the House of
Commons on 18th January 2012.
We have many interested parties wishing to become
involved from September 2012.
EPTA Conference & New Product Launches - July,
August we launched the new Avant Grand Pianos –
we exhibited at Chetham’s International summer
school and festival and then at the EPTA conference
in Cardiff. In September we toured Birmingham Conservatoire, The Royal Northern College of Music
in Manchester and The Royal Academy in London to showcase these instruments.
Jazz Experience workshops - The Jazz Experience tour in October visited Bolton and Carlisle Music
Services with Jazz artists Richard Michael and Geoff Warren. The second half of the tour visited Seale
Hayne in Newton Abbot and concluded at the Bull’s Head Jazz Club. The finals of the Yamaha Jazz
Experience competition were held at Cheltenham Jazz Festival on 7th May.
Music Teacher of The Year Awards - Yamaha teamed up with Classic FM, Avid and Music for Youth
to present awards at the Music For Youth school proms held at the Royal Albert Hall in November
Rock The House - June 2011 - Yamaha supported the very first “Rock The House” Parliamentary
competition providing prizes for winning bands and live venues. Together with the ISM, we
organized the very first under 18 “Rock The House” competition with a live final at ‘The
Roadmender’ in Northampton on 14th May 2012 . Yamaha presented prizes again at the award
ceremony held at House of Commons on 30th May.
Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Scholarships - Emphasis on brass and woodwind students this
year. Finals held at Royal Northern College of Music and The Royal Irish Academy of Music. Both
events were held in February 2012.
New Yamaha Schools - Opened in Newcastle, Watford and Godalming in January 2012.
All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards - Announced in June 2012 at Westminster – Yamaha’s sixth
year of support and involvement with this partnership.
New Music Hubs - Yamaha’s Education team supported 25 Music Hub bids and is playing an active
role as a provider of services.
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Yorkshire Youth & Music
Yorkshire Youth & Music continued to work on both Sing Up and MusicLeader across the Yorkshire
region for the year. The challenge with Sing Up was to maintain the momentum, the quality and
local commitment the programme in the region as budgets tightened, and to help pave the way for
paid membership of Sing Up from April 2012. We continued to bring fantastic singing leaders into
the region, including CeCelia Whickam Anderson of Black Voices for a stunning Gospel day; and sent
one of our local experts Beccy Owen to learn all about Nasheed, and to develop a Sing Up session
about working with children from muslim communities. With local partners across the region, we
ran over 50 training sessions for teachers and TAs across a range of singing subject areas, from SEN
to Young Singing Leaders. MusicLeader offered more opportunities and attracted more participants
than ever before as we continued to work with our Yorkshire partners.
With Opera North, we ran the Music Ambassadors programme in Leeds, and a conference day on
Music with Young People with SEN with NYMAZ at which amazing projects from around the region
shared their skills. Our careers guidance service continued to help professionals develop their skills
and build their work portfolios, and we offered training in a wide range of musical disciplines from
Kodaly to working with children with challenging behaviour. We develop our own staff too, with our
Company Manager attending the National Arts Fundraising School, three staff being awarded Advice
and Guidance NVQs, and we achieved the Matrix Standard for our Advice and Guidance Services. At
the end of the year our MusicLeader Manager, Rea Lawrenson, left us to train in Chartered
Accountancy. As we entered 2012 we developed plans for continued success in the new funding
climate, and were very pleased to be awarded the grant for Musical Inclusion for West and South
Yorkshire for the next two years.
Page | 37
Youth Music
Music has the power to build confidence, broaden horizons and raise aspirations. Through our
grants and music programmes, Youth Music helps young people find their way, take charge of their
lives and unlock their hidden potential.
The Youth Music Programme
In 2011 signs that music
education sector was close
to the brink of change were
increasing. In anticipation,
Youth Music conducted an
internal review reflecting on
more than 12 years of grant
giving and direct delivery.
This led to the launch of the
Youth Music Programme in
December 2011 on the eve
of the release of the
National Plan for Music
Education.
The Programme defined a
new approach to grant
giving, aiming to be flexible
to the evolving music education landscape and responsive to the current and changing needs of
children and young people.
At the heart of the Youth Music Programme is a commitment to supporting music-making
opportunities for children and young people, particularly, those in challenging circumstances. In
addition,the Programme contributes to the achievement of the National Plan for Music Education
and Arts Council’s strategy for ‘Achieving Great Art for Everyone’.
Some key statistics from the first round of funding which took place in December 2011:
•
•
•
33% of successful applicants have never previously held a Youth Music grant.
19% of all successful applicants are either Music Services or Local Authorities.
18% of successful applicants are Arts Council National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) of
which 2 are also Bridge Organisations.
The Youth Music Network
The Youth Music Programme is supported by a new online community, the Youth Music Network,
which also launched in November 2011. The Youth Music Network enables professionals and
organisations across the sector to access and share knowledge and expertise. It is also the main
gateway to accessing grants under the Youth Music Programme.Visit
http://network.youthmusic.org.uk
A new organisation
In addition to reviewing its grant giving and delivery programmes, Youth Music began a process of
organisational restructure (which completed in May 2012). The restructure sought to maximise the
percentage of Lottery funding through Arts Council England (ACE) being distributed as grants. This is
Page | 38
in line with an 8% cap on grant giving administration and other central costs as required of all
Lottery distributors.
The new organisational structure aims to support:
•
•
•
Efficient, effective and intelligent grant giving.
The extraction and sharing of learning gathered through monitoring & evaluation.
An on-going dialogue with funded organisations.
Matt Griffiths replaced Christina Coker as Youth Music’s Executive Director, in June 2012.
A full evaluation measuring the impact of Youth Music’s activities for the 2011 - 2012 financial
year is due for completion in September 2012.
Page | 39
Annex A
Music Education Council
Balance Sheet
Fixed Assets
Fixtures & Fittings
Current Assets
Debtors, prepayments & accrued
income
CAF Bank
National Savings
Petty Cash
Current Liabilities
Trade creditors, accruals & deferred
income
31st December 2011
2011
2010
-
-
-
456
55,808
4,800
60,608
35,731
4,781
40,968
-
-
-
-
Net Current Assets / (Liabilities)
60,608
40,968
Net Assets / (Liabilities)
60,608
40,968
Representing
Unrestricted reserve brought forward
Surplus (deficit) for the period
Unrestricted reserve carried forward
36,417
24,191
60,608
48,238
(11,821)
36,417
Restricted reserve brought forward
Surplus (deficit) for the period
Restricted reserve carried forward
4,551
(4,551)
-
1,476
3,075
4,551
Total reserves carried forward
60,608
40,968
Page | 40
Music Education Council
Income & Expenditure 2011
31st December 2011
Income:
Member subscriptions
Grants - TDA project
Seminar / Catering
Advertising income
Bank interest
Donations / legacies
Total Income
2011
18,279
2,535
123
20,139
41,076
2010
23,262
18,500
2,135
1,360
122
271
45,650
Expenditure:
Admin fees
Admin expenses
Committee & council expenses
Office Equipment
Annual report
Website
Postage & telephone
Seminars
Stationery & print
Subscriptions & publications
Audit & accountancy
Miscellaneous expenses
TDA project
10,241
557
1,094
667
389
252
3,332
59
44
250
4,551
26,529
306
4,423
295
2,119
1,712
980
863
1,450
294
15,425
Total Expenditure
21,436
54,396
Surplus (deficit) for the period
19,640
(8,746)
Page | 41
Page | 42
Annex B
The Executive Committee
Trustee name
Office (if any)
Deborah Annetts
Chair
Karen Brock
Vice Chair
Richard Hallam
Treasurer
Richard Crozier
Dates acted if not for whole year
Resigned April 2012
Peter James
Fiona Pendreigh
Lincoln Abbotts
Diane Widdison
James Garnett
Robin Osterley
Dr Oliver Searle
Elected July 2011
Paul McManus
Elected July 2011
Kathryn Deane
Prof Linda Merrick
Elected July 2011
Nick Beach
Barry Burgess
Resigned Dec 2011
Dorothy Nancekievill
Bill Martin
Nick Howdle
Resigned July 2012
Andrew Forbes
Co-opted Oct 2011
Maureen Hanke
Resigned April 2011
Nigel M Taylor
Co-opted July 2012
Philip Meaden
Elected July 2012
Matt Griffiths
Elected July 2012
Page | 43