Music

A new music exam discount scheme hopes to remove the financial barriers for students who struggle to pay exam fees.

The pilot scheme launched by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) will enable students to save up to 95% of the cost of practical and performance grades, as well as music theory exams.

Operated by Music Mark, the UK’s subject association for music education, the scheme is available to local authority music services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each music service provider will be allocated exam discounts based on published school roll numbers, with adjustments for deprivation.

Schools will have discretion over the level of discount requested for each student. However, ABRSM said they are "likely to follow existing fee remissions policies that many music services already have in place".

ABRSM’s Chief Executive, Chris Cobb, said: "At a time when costs and prices are increasing, we are ever more aware that many families are facing financial hardship.

"The pilot discount scheme is about working with music services to help them support those facing the biggest challenges, and about helping to make music learning and progression more accessible for more people."

The pilot is operating in the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It will run until July 2024.

London dance music venue fabric will become the world’s first nightclub-in-residence at a museum, it has been announced.

The establishment, which has been running for more than 20 years, is partnering with the Museum of London as part of the museum's move from its current London Wall site to the General Market in West Smithfield, across the road from the Farringdon nightclub.

The partnership will kick off next Tuesday (25 October) with a performance commissioned by artist Ta Shani titled My Bodily Remains, which includes a live score by Maxwell Sterling as well as Richard Fearless - also known as Death in Vegas.

The one-night-only performance will take the form of a chamber play and celebrate the Museum of London’s impending relocation. The museum is closing its doors at its main site at London Wall on 4 December ahead of its relocation to West Smithfield.

The museum will collaborate with Fabric to mark the nightclub's 25th anniversary in 2024. Fabric will then be involved in the museum’s opening in 2026, where it will formally undertake its position as nightclub in residence.

Sharon Ament, Director at the Museum of London, said: “From DJ EZ to Jossy Mitsu, fabric has been at the forefront of the international electronic music scene for decades. As we embark on our exciting new journey, we are thrilled to join forces with fabric – our soon-to-be neighbours and one of London’s most iconic cultural spaces. Our collaboration will create special moments and memories for Londoners and visitors to the city. The first of many collaborations to offer new perspectives on London’s story.”

London’s first new concert hall in 14 years will open its doors for the first time next month.

The £3.65m venue, located in Embassy Gardens, Nine Elms, will be known as World Heart Beat and belongs to a music charity of the same name.

Alongside a 200-capacity concert hall, it will feature World Heart Beat’s second music education centre that will aim to make music education accessible to all social groups. The charity currently provides music tuition and performance opportunities to 380 young people each year outside of school hours.

The venue’s opening season will begin in January 2023 with “an eclectic ongoing musical programme comprising some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz”. Tickets will be on sale from early November.

“It is such a privilege to be able to contribute to the community with a state-of-the-art boutique concert hall and a music education facility,” World Heart Beat founder Sahana Gero said.

“We would like to think of World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens as an inspiring place to be, a citadel for musical aspirations and achievement. A welcoming home for all.”

PRS for Music has announced a record-breaking £211m royalty distribution to members, marking the highest ever single payment in its 108-year history.

The organisation, which represents the rights of over 160,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers in the UK and around the world, pays royalties to its members four times a year - in in April, July, October and December.

It said the October 2022 payout represented an 18% year-on-year increase on October 2021. 

“The record payment of royalties by PRS for Music reflects our relentless focus on maximising the value of members’ rights," Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO of PRS for Music, said.

"Ensuring members are paid as quickly and accurately is at the heart of everything we do." 

The host of next year's Eurovision Song Contest will be either Glasgow or Liverpool after the shortlist of cities in contention was cut from seven to two.

The BBC said the two remaining cities, which both have riverside arena venues, had "the strongest overall offer", adding that a final decision will be made in the coming weeks.

Liverpool has said it would host Eurovision at the 11,000-capacity dockside M&S Bank Arena, while Glasgow intends to use its OVO Hydro venue, which has a capacity of 14,300.

The UK was chosen to host the 2023 contest after organisers decided it could not be staged by Ukraine, which won the event this year, because of the ongoing war in the country.

The announcement means that the bids of Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield have missed out.

A new charity dedicated to supporting the mental health of people working in music across the UK has been established.

Music Minds Matter was originally set up in 2017 as a helpline by charity Help Musicians, but has now been registered as a subsidiary charity in its own right in response to concerns there is a need for increased mental health support for musicians.

Silvia Montello, Chief Executive of the Association For Electronic Music, and existing Help Musicians Trustee, has been announced as the first Chair of Music Minds Matter.

James Ainscough, Chief Executive at Help Musicians said: “Since Music Minds Matter launched in 2017, we have seen the need for mental health support continue to grow year-on-year. Musicians and those who work in music have been through an incredibly difficult time during the pandemic. 

"And, sadly, coming out the other side is proving just as challenging, if not more. So the time is right to set up Music Minds Matter as a single-focus charity. 

"With the full backing of the Help Musicians team and resources, the Music Minds Matter Board will have the freedom to drive forward our work on mental health, so we can reach more of those who need our support, and build vital partnership right across the music industry."