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School music lessons 'manifesto' 06.07.04BBC News 24) close X Running Time Approximately: 12 minutes Playlist Order: [N/A] School music lessons 'manifesto' Government launches schools music manifesto SOURCE: guardian.co.uk Polly Curtis Tuesday July 6, 2004 An unlikely coalition of popstars and politicians joined forces today to launch a "music manifesto" to encourage more children to take up an instrument in school. Campaigners immediately called for new money to back the aims of the project. The schools minister, David Miliband, and the arts minister, Estelle Morris, launched the five-point manifesto at the famous Abbey Road studios in London, together with 60-odd signatories from the music industry, including up and coming stars, such as Jamelia, and more 'established' musicians like Fergal Sharkey and the Beatles producer, Sir George Martin. However, some musicians who have been lobbying the government for a stronger commitment to music in schools refused to attend the event, saying that without extra funding, or a firm commitment to give every child access to a musical instrument, the promises were empty. The cellist and composer Julian Lloyd Webber, one of the dissenting musicians, writing for EducationGuardian.co.uk yesterday, said: "In the manifesto, there are a lot of statements about what the government will do and what it wants to do - but the manifesto doesn't say how the government is going to do it. It seems that there is no statement about funding to pay to increase provision." A website - Musicmanifesto.co.uk - has been set up to outline the aims of the manifesto and list the signatories to the scheme. Each signatory is invited to pledge a contribution to help work towards the five aims. So far only four have signed up: Boom! - an MTV-backed charity working with children, the Arts Council, the music rights company EMI and Music for the Deaf. While the Arts Council is planning a programme of visits for schools to national musical organisations such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the English National Opera, EMI said today: "We would like to see schools teaching copyright awareness so that pupils understand its importance not only to those contemplating music as a career, but to society generally." EMI is planning a conference for teachers on the subject and working on lesson plans to explain copyright properly. Mr Miliband described the manifesto as a "route map" for the future of music in schools and confirmed that the government would continue its ring-fenced funding for music of up to £180m by 2008. The manifesto seals a pledge from each of the signatories to: · Provide every young person with first access to a range of music experiences; · Provide more opportunities for young people to deepen and broaden their musical interests and skills; · Identify and nurture our most talented young musicians; · Develop a world-class workforce in music education; and · Improve the support structures for young people's music making. Ms Morris said: "Today's children are tomorrow's talent. If we are to remain at the forefront of global music making, we must ensure we offer the widest possible music education for young people. "The Music Manifesto marks a major step towards achieving that goal. It will help ensure [that] young people - whatever their background or ability - have access to rich and diverse musical experiences and the opportunities to develop their musical talents." Teachers too were enthusiastic about the plan but said that such creative ideas were in danger of being "squeezed out" by the over-prescriptive curriculum. Mary Bousted, the general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: "We are very pleased that the government has realised that creative arts have been squeezed out of the curriculum by the testing overload. "This is a small step to redress this problem but it is not enough. Even Ofsted acknowledges that primary school teaching is overloaded with literacy and numeracy which leaves little or no time for a rich and broadly based curriculum. "This is the crux of the problem, so whilst we welcome the initiative, what is needed is a rebalance of the primary curriculum so that young children can be inspired, challenged and changed by their learning in school." Chris Keates, the acting general secretary of National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), said: "The manifesto is an important step on the road to enriching the lives of young people by providing them with a wide range of musical experiences. "We will seek to establish how public sector provision of music education services can be supported. Hopefully, the manifesto will assist in reversing the trend, prevalent in local education authorities, for disbanding central music services. "It will also be important to ensure that charging for music tuition at school does not inhibit participation," he added.

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