Musicians, arts practitioners and education providers are being encouraged by the government to join with the Musicians? Union, the Teacher Training Agency, Arts Council England, Youth Music and others in signing up to its new ?Music Manifesto?, launched this week by School Standards Minister David Miliband and Arts Minister Estelle Morris.
Developed jointly by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in consultation with a 70-strong coalition of interested parties involving music educationalists, pop stars and politicians, the Manifesto will guide the government?s commitment to music education. It sets out what is described as ?a shared agenda? for music education, especially for young people, and is seen by the government as helping to ?align currently disparate activity for future planning? and ?make it easier for more organisations and individuals to see how they can contribute to music education?.
Five broad aims are specified, all focused on the provision for and take-up of music by young people. Equality of access for all to music tuition, the nurturing of talent, and improvements in the infrastructure for supporting musical activity are at the heart of the Manifesto. It is intended that every primary school child should have opportunities for instrumental tuition free of charge or at a reduced rate; that every child should have access to high quality live music experiences and a sound foundation in general musicianship; and that teachers, support staff, artists and others are better trained to work more effectively as music leaders both in schools and in the community.
A new website is providing a forum for organisations and individuals to sign up to the Manifesto and pledge their own contributions towards its aims. The site also aims to facilitate an exchange of information on music education initiatives. Among the organisations to have pledged their support so far are MTV(UK), Music and the Deaf, EMI, the Association of British Choral Directors and Sound Sense.
However, critics of the government?s policy on music education have voiced anger at the Manifesto?s failure to address the problems created by the marginal position of music in the National Curriculum, and the absence of any intention to make additional public funding available to deliver the Manifesto?s aims. The Music Education Consortium, a pressure group attempting to increase music tuition in schools, described it as a ?diluted message?. Speaking on behalf of the group, percussionist Evelyn Glennie said ?The UK government has had numerous opportunities to firmly back our campaign to put music at the forefront of the curriculum. At every turn, they have pulled away from giving solid commitment to the alteration of the curriculum, or providing real funds, and by real the Consortium means substantial funds, so that every child can play an instrument without paying for it. This government has spent 18 months going back and forth with the Consortium saying they will improve things, but delivering very little in real terms!? The government?s lack of investment in music tuition in schools has been compared unfavourably with that of the Scottish Executive which, last year, announced the allocation of £17.5m extra funding spread over three years to enable local authorities to remove charges for music tuition for children. w: http://www.musicmanifesto.co.uk.