John Witchell's Chief Executive blog

It’s good that Ed Vaizey recently outlined his ideas on how music education could develop under a Conservative Government. His comments have certainly prompted some reactions from the music education world, which is no bad thing. Some people have told me that they agreed with everything he said, but others have disagreed profoundly. Personally I am pleased that the debate has opened up and that we now have the opportunity to articulate our views with greater clarity as well as passion.

Could there be a world without music services? Absolutely not - I think that everyone agrees that schools, children and families need us. We know how to teach, we know how to develop progression and we know how to provide opportunities for all children to fulfil their potential in and through music. Our relationship with schools is solid and trusting. They only work with us because they believe in us and I’m sure you would agree that they would terminate contracts with us very quickly indeed if they didn’t. Just for a moment think about how many children were being taught by us in schools a few years ago - 8% of the school population, which wasn’t particularly bad, given the terms of reference for our work. But now add up the numbers - heading for two million - again each week. And if you count that number over the years we run into many millions. Having said all that, I’m not saying that music services will be the same. Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis comes to mind - our main themes will change, but the music will be very exciting……….. and, by the way, if your youth orchestra hasn’t played it, why not give it an airing - it’s a great piece!

Can we exist without the Music Standards Fund? My answer to that is also no. I believe that politicians from all parties recognise that centralised funding, dedicated to music education is essential. Whilst music services have been successful in generating income over the last twenty years or so, the principles of entitlement, access and indeed quality are predicated on having reasonable and sufficient public funds - from government and local authorities in addition to funds generated by music services. The Music Standards Fund might not be the only source of funding for music education, but it enables local authorities to ensure that music is at the heart the educational agenda and provide comprehensive instrumental tuition, ensembles and programmes that would otherwise not be available for all young people.

So if part of our message is that central government funding is critically important, it would also be fair to point out that we are not simply arguing for the status quo. Music education has changed enormously over the last twenty years or so and the FMS is very clear about the need to develop models of delivery that are fit for purpose in the future. Nevertheless we have proved the value of what we do and we know that are work can transform lives - if you haven’t read the impact evaluation of Wider Opportunities have a look now while you are on this site. The evidence is clear - WO is of high international standards and has widespread positive support from pupils, parents, teachers, headteachers and local authorities. It scores on the musical front in terms of musical knowledge and understanding, and it it has a plethora of personal and social benefits including increased self confidence, motivation, enjoyment, discipline and even better school attendance. No-one can stop this ground-breaking initiative in its track - though, of course we all recognise that we have more to do, especially in the areas of progression and training. Finally bear in mind that the report recommends that ‘continued financial and resource commitment to schools and music services is needed’. That’s a message to all those responsible for funding.

The Think Again team are also raising the issue of managing change. Again they are absolutely right. However, let’s also remember that we have grappled with change over the years - we have introduced new initiatives other than Wider Opportunities and, at best, we are proactive and strategic in our thinking. I say ‘we’, but I also recognise that there are varying levels of confidence within FMS. Therefore it is important that we have belief in our ability to manage the change, to think outside the box and to lead, rather than be overtaken by events. The second round of Think Again is now rapidly filling up, so if you have not booked your place, please contact Sarah Adamson at the FMS office as quickly as you can. We all need to think again.

Do you agree that there are too many initiatives? Perhaps in some ways there are - and to an observer there may appear to be a confusing array. But I’m reminded of a phrase that Jerome Bruner once said - that there are ‘many tracks leading to the same goal’. It would be very dull if we were all doing the same thing (a bit like a National Curriculum!!) and diversity of approaches is healthy as much as consistency of standards is critical. I think the task here is to demonstrate how they are complementary, how they combine to produce holistic coherence and how the ‘whole is greater than the sum of the parts’. In doing that we also need to be clear about what isn’t really proving its worth. For instance, if something has to be propped up by unrealistic levels of funding how can it be sustained? Sustainability and replication are two essential criteria in my book, and if initiatives don’t meet them I think we should question why we would wish to continue investing in them.

So this all leads on to having a strategy - a cunning plan. I think we would all agree that the Music Manifesto was indeed a very comprehensive strategic tool, even though you might not call it a strategy. Whilst the Manifesto Partnership and Advocacy Group continues, we have priorities. However it seems to me that an urgent task is to develop them into a more compelling strategy for the future. This will be a priority for a new Legacy Group, designed to follow on from the Year of Music. I am on this group, which is chaired by Darren Henley, and I am optimistic that it will make a very significant contribution to the development of music education.

Of course, the future of music education doesn’t just concern music in schools; access to non-formal activities outside school has increased enormously over the last ten years, during the evolution of Youth Music. This has to be welcomed and may I congratulate Youth Music on its tenth anniversary. However many of our own activities are now outside formal education, and our partnerships with Youth Music are becoming stronger day by day. But we mustn’t forget that our roots are in school-based work - pedagogy, progression and school improvement. We support and enrich schools, we know how to teach and we know how children learn. We have the confidence of headteachers and we work closely with them, for instance in schools’ forums. Any incoming government needs to be cognizant of our integral contribution to schools and their improvement - not just as providers, but as facilitators, brokers and supporters.

And talking of brokers I would also say we shouldn’t try and fix something if it isn’t broken. (My humble apologies for a dreaful link!). What I mean is that sometimes I think that we are very good at talking ourselves down. Now stop it! We really are world class, we are leading the way in innovative ways of teaching music, and we do it well. I want to make it clear to any new government that they simply cannot do without us. That is the message that the FMS is conveying - not in isolation, but with our community of music educators who all support our cause - professional associations, examination boards and the music industry to name but three.

The FMS is determined; we will fight for music services as we fight for the entitlement to good music education for all people. We will work with and support all those who contribute to music education. We will be prepared to look at different organisational and funding models. But we won’t give up what we have built up steadily over the last 50 years or so. The FMS message is that music is working - music services are working. Music is essential to life; music services are essential to music.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 9:41 am and is filed under Blog.

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