Good Music News is our round-up of positive news relating to music education, music in general – and anything else which catches our eye.
- Benedetti’s charity to work with music teachers and young people in support of music education
- The Music Commission’s new report
- Should string teachers use stickers on the fingerboard?
- Spaces available for spaces available for oboe, bassoon, trombone, and tuba players on next NYO Inspire Day
- Maxim Vengerov on importance of music education
- ISM’s Future of Music event
- Winners of the 2019 Music Teacher Awards for Excellence
- Two thirds of young people are making music of some kind
- Zohra, Afghanistan’s all-female orchestra, visits the UK
Nicola Benedetti is “more resolved than ever to reinforce my advocacy for the arts and culture, and to challenge what it means to teach music well.” In a statement published on her website on 8th March 2019 as she received her CBE for services to music, Benedetti said the recognition encourages her to “deepen my commitment to music, to playing and to providing enrichment, inspiration and variation to the education system that serves communities throughout the UK.”
In January she announced she is launching a charity, The Benedetti Foundation, to expand her commitment to the education of young people and the supporting of music teachers.
Retuning Our Ambition for Music Learning, The Music Commission’s new report published this month, is a “ten-year vision” to “retune our ambition for music learning by focusing on the need for progress and progression routes.” It includes a wide range of recommendations to schools, parents, teachers and Government with a view to addressing the barriers to musical progression for young people. The report (pdf) is here.
Three interesting perspectives from string teachers about whether – or not – teachers should use stickers on the fingerboard when teaching beginner pupils. Worth a read in The Strad here.
The National Youth Orchestra’s NYO Inspire Days are for young people aged 13-19 and playing at Grade 6 or above, to “take your playing to the next level and get that breakthrough orchestral experience” by spending an immersive day in workshops and rehearsals, focused on peer learning and sharing with NYO Musicians.
The next Inspire Day, on 24 March 2019 in London, has spaces available for oboe, bassoon, trombone, and tuba players only. Details here.
Violinist Maxim Vengerov – recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Royal College of Music – has told Classic FM why he believes music education is so important for children.
The ISM’s Future of Music event will take place on Tuesday 16 April at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. It includes informative sessions from music sector experts and also features performances by BBC Young Musicians of the Year. There’s a networking lunch too and you don’t have to be an ISM member to attend. Details are here.
The winners of the 2019 Music Teacher Awards for Excellence were announced on 6 March. 14 awards were presented across a number of music education categories. The winners are listed here.
Youth Music, which commissioned a survey of 1000 young people aged between 7 and 17, has revealed that 67% are engaged in some form of music-making activity. The most common music-making activities were singing (44%) and playing an instrument (30%); the most commonly played instrument for all ages was the piano or keyboard, played by 44% of young musicians. Lots more within the report, which you can access here.
Zohra, Afghanistan’s first all-female orchestra (named after a Persian goddess of music), has made its first visit to the UK. This BBC News report gives an insight into Zohra’s history and impact.
What next?
- Read earlier editions of Good Music News
- If there’s something you would like us to cover in Good Music News, please email us.
- Here’s some good news for music teachers: our free 29 tips for a thriving music teaching business will give you things you can do immediately to boost your music teaching business. They’ll also make you smile.