Amongst the many important activities taking place in music services throughout the FMS several national events are taking place this term.  First there is this year’s conference at the Beaumont Centre, Windsor on 1st and 2nd June.  Entitled ‘Making More of Music-Making’ the programme focuses on some very pressing issues that affect us all.  Here’s what’s in store.

On the first day after the Annual General Meeting, Paul Robertson will be reflecting on Music, Mind and Spirit.  He will, I’m sure renew our spirit.  Following  a performance of young people from Berkshire Maestros there are a range of seminars (which will run twice) as follows:

Update on National Curriculum Issues (Kevin Rogers)

Music and special needs (Bob Heath)

Great Expectations - an open discussion on the expectations of schools chaired by Mo Hanke with invited head teacher and director of a children’s service

Working with large group (Paul Harris in anticipation of a forthcoming publication relevant to Wider Opportunities)

Musicians’ health (Karenna Caun)

Kinaesthetic learning (Penny Stirling)

After time to visit the exhibition workshops and presentations will be offered by Ian Clethero on ‘Zone’ information (who are supporting) the conference, Val Whitlock, who is an inspiring singing teacher, Mark Burke on developments with Charanga, David Liggins on how the ocarina is being used across the country, Bill Martin on links between services and Yamaha (who continue to be a key sponsor of the FMS) and Abigail D’Amore on Musical Futures.   After all that we will have our conference reception and dinner.

We are delighted that Keith Swanwick joins us on the second day.  His keynote speech will focus on the sensitive issue of progression - the vertical and horizontal.  In boisterous mood we will be joined by Tom Service of the BBC Radio 3 Music Matters programme, who will open a debate on music education, the title of which is still to be decided, but which will capture some of his thought-provoking views.  Two more keynote presentations will then be made: the first by Anne Bamford, who will relate our impact assessment of Wider Opportunities with ‘the Wow Factor’; the second by Lucy Green who will bring us up to date with her research on informal approaches to learning  - the aural and the instrumental.  In all these presentations I am sure that we will be inspired and challenged. 

The conference is filling up fast, so if you haven’t already done so, please complete the online application.  We can’t guarantee additional places at the conference beyond 180.  And talking of the centre I hope you will delighted with what it offers.  It really does provide first class conference and residential facilities.

This term the impact assessment of Wider Opportunities will be taking place.  May I thank all those services who have provided details of their participating schools?  We aim to contact all 7,000 so that we see the first complete picture of the impact across the country.  Anne Bamford, our lead researcher, will be visiting eight music services for a closer look at what’s going on and by the autumn we hope to have some evidence to report back to you and to the DCSF.  I believe that this evaluation is one of the most important pieces of work that the FMS has commissioned.  We need to be absolutely clear about what Wider Opportunities does for schools and children.  We need to tell the story, share good practice and take note of those aspects that we can improve.

I wish also to thank all those who have so readily engaged in self evaluation.  The feedback from everyone - heads of services, MSEPs and even directors of children’s services continues to be extremely positive.  I have no doubt about the benefits that this process has brought to services and I am heartened to hear about how it has helped services to focus their minds on the central issue of delivering the very best service possible for our schools and children.  This term the six pilot services will be exploring the second ‘review’ visit.  A framwork is in the final stages of completion so that the reviews can be carried economically and systematically.  However, if you are a service that is still waiting for its first MSEP visit, may I remind you that one of the most important preparation tasks is to complete as much of the Self Evaluation Form as possible with your teams in advance.  Don’t regard this as an extra chore, but as essential, integral and routine process of good planning.

Richard Hallam continues to support us all in his work as Participation Director and is making rapid progress in driving the Local Area Music Plans (LAMPs).  I know that he is grateful to everyone for completing the first plans and impressed with range of ambitious activities taking place.  It is critical that we continue to support him this year, knowing that we are providing him with evidence to argue the case for music service provision with ministers and officers at the DCSF.

All these things are additional to the music making that you generate from day to day.  I think you would agree that there are more demands on music services than ever before.  As Ofsted reported, the impact of music services on schools is significant.  So take care, harness your passion and measure your energy so that you also can also have time to experience the joys of music.  I hope to see everyone at the conference.  I wish everyone much success in their music making this term.

John Witchell

You may have read an interesting article in the Guardian on 2nd April by Tom Service.  In it he suggests that we are ’shutting children out of classical music’ because of lack of funding, the demise of youth orchestras and diminished music service provision.  In some ways it makes for depressing reading, since he appears not to acknowledge huge advances that have been made in recent years.  In other ways his comments are quite useful - he stirs up the debate and by the end of the article he says the solution is a ‘national revitalisation of music services’.  Read it and see what you think. 

I have responded and this is what I said.  (I mention my age, because he says he is a 33 year old music critic)…

Some wrong notes in Tom Service’s article on music services

Response to Tom Service

As a 60 year old classical musician who likes Rufus Wainwright as much as Ralph Vaughan Williams,  I would like to thank Tom Service for endorsing the value of music services, but also put him right on quite a few of his misunderstandings.

He says that primary schools don’t have money for instrumental lessons – wrong.  Through the Wider Opportunities in Music programme we are on course to provide every child in primary schools with the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrumental by 2011 free of charge.  This year 53% of primary schools are offering this and this set to rise substantially every year until we reach 100%.

He thinks that there are no proper instruments for children to play – wrong again.  Government funding has allowed us to provide 100,000 proper musical instruments this year alone.  Before Wider Opportunities there was no such provision.

He believes that the flagship for each Music Service was its youth orchestra – it still is.  Ask any of the 150 music services about youth orchestras and they will show thousands of children playing and singing in orchestras, ensembles, bands and choirs.  They don’t all play classical music all the time and thank goodness they don’t.  But pop along to the National Association of Youth Orchestras’ summer festival or Music for Youth’s National Festival in Symphony Hall in July to hear some great youth orchestras.  I’ve heard some fabulous performances of Mahler 5, Shostakovich 10 and Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’.  And my old youth orchestra is planning to do Gurrelieder this summer.  That’s a litmus test for me.

Music Services have adapted to the 21^st century – the widening of cultural horizons and the pressures of the contemporary world, including the recession.  We would all agree that there continue to be financial pressures, not just because funds in the past have been delegated to schools, but also because local authorities have found it increasingly difficult to sustain their contributions.  However, this government has boldly ring-fenced the Music Standards Fund until 2011, which has promoted growth and creativity. 

What I do agree with Tom is that we need to continue the revitalisation of music services.  They have the infrastructure and the workforce to ensure that all young people get the chance to enjoy all types of music, including classical.  They are working with lots of other organisations – Youth Music, Sing Up and Sound Connections to name but a few – in a new spirit of partnership and co-operation.  In schools and communities there is strong recognition of the power of music in everyone’s lives; personally and socially as well as musically.  Music Services want everyone to support them in ensuring that music is properly funded over the next decade.  And yes, statutory status would certainly help. I hope that Tom will be one of our strongest advocates, knowing that the musical landscape for young people is actually better now than it was ten years ago.

John Witchell

To all in FMS, what are your views?