For music teachers: read our new new Good Music News round-up and smile! Here are 7 positive stories about music and music education:
- Top of the hit parade for Jess Gillam
- Arts and culture industry contributes £10.8 billion a year to the UK economy
- DJ Lisa Lashes opens new school of music
- CBSO launches 2019-20 Concert Season
- Madness’ Suggs becomes ambassador for Camden Music Trust
- Concert pianist’s advice on dealing with performance nerves
- UK Music’s 2019 Survey for Music Creators
Saxophonist Jess Gillam’s debut album RISE, launched on 26 April, hit the number one spot in the official UK Classical Chart this week.
Gillam, an alumna and patron of the charity Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) has also been touring the UK to give workshops, performances and Q&A sessions with young people supported by AYM. In March the 20-year-old became BBC Radio 3’s youngest presenter.
The arts and culture industry now contributes £10.8 billion a year to the UK economy and has grown by £390 million in 12 months, according to a report by Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) commissioned by Arts Council England.
The report’s aim is to “capture the value to the economy of six disciplines that are funded by Arts Council England – theatre, dance, literature, visual arts, music and combined arts.”
The sector contributes £2.8 billion a year to the Treasury via taxation, and supports 363,700 jobs, according to the report, “Contribution of the arts and culture industry to the UK economy,” available here, which is based on data provided by the Office for National Statistics.
Lisa Lashes, the DJ and music producer, is to open a school of music in Cambridge which will specialise in working with young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training. There are already Lisa Lashes Schools of Music in Manchester, Northampton, Peterborough and other locations. Subject to meeting funding criteria, traineeships are funded through PTS Training Academy.
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2019-20 Concert Season, marking the start of its Centenery year celebrations.
An exciting programme of concerts includes “rising star” Simone Lamsma performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto, “the world’s best-loved violin concerto;” Birmingham-born teenage piano virtuoso Lauren Zhang playing Ravel’s La Valse for Solo Piano; and crowd-pleasers such as Mahler’s Eighth Symphony.
Priority booking for CBSO members opens today, 7 May. Public booking opens from 28 May. Details here.
Singer-songwriter and Ska music legend, Suggs, the lead singer of Madness, has become an ambassador for the Mayor of Camden’s charity, the Camden Music Trust.
Camden Music Trust supports the Camden Music Service by helping to fund inclusive music education programmes, scholarships and affordable music instruments for loan to ensure all Camden children can take part in music making. More information here.
Some advice about dealing with performance nerves which could be helpful for your students, in this Classic FM interview with concert pianist Martin James Bartlett.
UK Music wants musicians, composers, writers and producers to participate in its 2019 Survey for Music Creators. Data will remain confidential but analysis will help UK Music in “securing the best possible deal from Government and policymakers” for the music industry. Last year’s report demonstrated that the industry contributed £4.5bn to the UK economy and sustained over 145,000 jobs. Participate in the survey here.
What next?
- Checkout our recent interview with highland bagpipe teacher, James Carnegie.
- 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.