Music Stars encourage kids to register and find out more at www.nextbritthing.com

Young people aged 11-19 from Great Britain and Northern Ireland are being encouraged to register for Next BRIT Thing - a major new nationwide music competition backed by the UK music industry, The BRIT Awards and the Government.

Next BRIT Thing is looking for young musicians in any genre to share their performances, compete in online charts and perform live. There are three awards up for grabs – General (covering Pop, Rock, Urban, Folk and Jazz), Classical and an additional award for Composition, supported by PRS for Music.

Next BRIT Thing is open to all 11-19 year olds whether in formal education or not. It offers entrants a raft of prizes and money-can’t-buy opportunities, including the chance to perform in front of thousands and exclusive support and guidance from famous musicians and songwriters.

The lucky winners – to be chosen by a team of influential artists and senior music industry executives – will be crowned Next BRIT Thing and receive a unique award in the run-up to the 2012 BRIT Awards.

Young people entering Next BRIT Thing will also have access to high-quality tutorials and resources to help them improve their skills, develop confidence and explore careers in music or other creative industries.

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The FMS Conference on the 17^th and 18^th June was a packed event – packed with delegates and packed with content. During the two days young musicians from across the North West injected extra energy, passion and inspiration amongst the speeches and practical sessions and reminded delegates of the impact and importance of their work in changing lives and in ensuring our musical future.

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In the Spring edition of Aspirations, Virginia Haworth-Galt, FMS Chief Executive, explains some of the priorities that the National Executive has been debating since the Henley Review and the Government’s response (Music Education in England) were published in early February 2011.

On Wednesday evening 6 April at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire Music Service, with BBC Radio Shropshire, held a sell out concert featuring Shropshire’s finest young musicians. Four young musicians performed four very different concertos accompanied by Shropshire Sinfonia and conducted by Robert Wysome.

Pictured are the four finalists, left to right, Holly Scutt (violin) aged 16 studying at Shrewsbury High School  James Carter (trombone) aged 17 studying at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, Rosie Powell Davies (cello) aged 18 studying at Shrewsbury High School and Freya Little (bassoon) aged 17 studying Shrewsbury High School.

The winner, Rosie Powell Davies, is in her final year at Shrewsbury High School, studying music as one of her A levels.  She has been offered a place to read Music at New College, Oxford in September.  She began learning the piano at the age of 6 and, a year later, started studying the cello with John Fairbank, achieving cello grade 8 distinction, aged 14, and the Sheila C Freeman prize awarded by the ABRSM.  Studying with Susie Allan she gained piano grade 8 distinction, aged 15.  Rosie currently leads the Shropshire Youth Cello Ensemble and the cello sections of Shrewsbury High School Orchestra and Senior String Ensemble.  During 2010-11 she has been performing with the CBSO Youth Orchestra in the Symphony Hall, Birmingham.  She has also performed regularly in Europe with an international youth orchestra, BISYOC.  Last year, Rosie was selected to play for cello and piano master-classes with Julian Lloyd Webber and Vanessa Latouche.  In April 2010, she reached the finals of both the Shropshire Concerto Competition (playing the Kabalevsky Cello Concerto) and the Gregynog Young Musician Competition.  Her cello is from the Dresden School, dated around 1885.

The adjudicator, Professor George Caird, praised all four finalists for their remarkable performances, claiming the decision was like a photo finish, with nothing between them in terms of the quality and maturity of their performances.

Alan Atkin (Manager - Shropshire Music Service) said, “This is a marvellous opportunity to showcase the outstanding talent of young musicians in Shropshire.”

Keith Havercroft (Music Adviser, Shropshire Council) praised the work of the peripatetic teaching staff at Shropshire Music Service for their continued outstanding contribution to the lives and learning of all young musicians in Shropshire.

BBC Radio Shropshire recorded the Concerto Competition and it will be broadcast at 7pm on Wednesday 13 April

To see more photographs of the finalists, learn more about the Concerto Competition and the work of the Music Service in Shropshire join Shropshire Music Service on Facebook, or contact Shropshire Music Service on 01743 874145

To view allocations to local authorities and a copy of the allocation letter, and to download a claim form, click here http://www.thefms.org/the-fms/professional/funding/

Harrogate Music Centre pupil, Vahan Salorian features in a new 3 part documentary Goldie’s Band – By Royal Appointment’ which starts on Saturday 26th March at 9.00pm on BBC 2.
Goldie, the drum and bass pioneer, DJ, artist and former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ contestant has been travelling the length and breadth of the country in the search for raw musical talent. The aim of the project was to find talented youngsters coping with often challenging personal circumstances and to highlight the organisations that supported them. 12 youngsters were selected for the programme bringing together a diverse range of instruments and musical genres.
Vahan was nominated for the project by Jane Donald and Anne Heaton from the North Yorkshire County Music Service and his journey began back in June in his home town of Barnoldswick, where he met Goldie and jazz saxophonist Soweto Kinch. He then attended 2 residential courses with 11 other musicians, where they were mentored by a team of industry experts including composer Guy Chambers and singer songwriters Cerys Matthews and Ms Dynamite. Vahan was also given the opportunity to have flute lessons with Sir James Galway and to spend a day with the film and television composer Debbie Wiseman OBE.
The project ended in spectacular fashion culminating in a performance by all 12 youngsters in the ballroom at Buckingham Palace in front of Prince Harry and an audience of special guests.
Vahan’s first instrument is flute and he has become increasingly interested in composition. He also plays violin, trombone and keyboard. He receives instrumental tuition in school from the North Yorkshire County Music Service as well as attending Harrogate Music Centre where he plays in Harrogate & Skipton Schools’ Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of the North Yorkshire Schools’ County Orchestra where he has twice won the Young Composer’s competition.

Key points from the Henley Review and the Government’s response:

- The annual Music Grant to remain at £82.5m for 2011-12 – no cut

- This award remains protected for music education

- The Department of Education (DfE) and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) will work with the Arts Council and other key stakeholders, including the FMS, to prepare a ‘National Plan for Music Education’ to come into effect in 2012 -13

- One of the National Plan’s key priorities will be to ensure that a structure is developed that enshrines the best mix of organisations and services to access funding available at a local level. These services will be identified in the National Plan and will embrace music and wider arts providers.

Virginia Haworth-Galt, Chief Executive of the FMS, said: “I believe this is a landmark report. As music teachers, we see every day the outstanding contribution music makes to a child’s development. Darren Henley has argued passionately for the value of music education and has provided clear recommendations to ensure that children, wherever they live in England, can benefit from it.

“We congratulate the Government for responding so positively and listening to the FMS and others across the sector. We welcome the news that Music Services will receive the same level of funding from the Government and hope that this support will continue after 2012. We also urge all local authorities to continue their financial support too.

“By backing the report’s recommendation for a ‘National Plan for Music Education’, the Government has also shown its commitment to work with us, schools and all music educators to make Darren Henley’s vision a reality - to provide all children with the music education they deserve.

“This is a huge declaration for music education. We are excited that the FMS’s views on the value of local centres of excellence have been acknowledged. The FMS is looking forward to building on the close relationships we already enjoy with schools and other music partners as we move towards a new era in music and arts provision. To succeed all those involved in music provision must rise to the challenge of working together to deliver a better musical future for our children.”
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Pre-emptive cuts ahead of Government review could do ‘irreparable’ damage

School music services across England and Wales are “holding their breath” for the outcome of a major review into their funding that could result in essential services being axed.

Campaigners have warned that if funding is cut, parents and schools will have to stump up more money for tuition, instrument hire and support services, which will shut out children from poorer families and decimate bands and orchestras.

The Federation of Music Services (FMS) says that pre-emptive cuts, already being publicly proposed by a handful of local authorities as part of wider cost savings, could “irreparably undermine” services even before the findings of the Government-commissioned Henley review are announced at the end of the month.

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18 November 2010

The Federation of Music Services (FMS), which represents 98% of all music services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, has expressed grave concerns about cuts being announced to services ahead of the completion of the Henley Review of the Funding and Delivery of Music Education.

Currently, 65% of local authorities contribute either in cash, kind (administration, buildings etc) or both to music service funding. On average, local authorities contribute 10.5% of total music service budgets. Remaining funding comes from central government’s Music Grant (formerly the Music Standards Fund), parental fees, school and other contributions.

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Pre-emptive budget cuts to our music services by local authorities could trigger unnecessary closures

A number of local authorities have indicated imminent and in some cases severe budget reductions. The FMS is very concerned that this pre-emptive programme of cuts could irreparably undermine some services before the whole music education sector has a true measure of its future.

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