Every Friday we round-up some positive news about music and music education – and anything else that captured our attention.
Here’s your weekly summary to start the weekend on a happy note…
- Nine out of ten children want to learn to play a musical instrument
- Harps sulk and are strong enough to withstand huge forces – excellent podcast
- £5 tickets for under 35s at Wigmore Hall
- Great press coverage for More Than Just a Choir
- New Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland fund to support creative enterprise
- Electrified string instrument was invented in 18th Century
Nine out of ten children want to learn to play a musical instrument, according to research conducted by polling firm YouGov for The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO).
Children aged from six to 16 were asked about their interest in learning an instrument. Their most popular choice was the guitar – which 45% said they are interested in learning. 36% expressed an interest in the piano; drums and keyboards are also popular choices. The ukulele is increasing in popularity too.
10% of the children surveyed said they’d like to play the violin. Girls and boys did express different preferences for instruments they are most keen to learn.
The Guardian and Classic FM have reported on the findings in more detail.
We enjoyed the first episode of the new “Instrument Makers” programme on BBC Radio 4. We now know much more about how harps are made – and that they sulk if they’re not played (hmm, like violins and guitars). There was a lively discussion about the Welsh harping tradition and the evolution of the instruments. Fascinating stuff. The podcast is here.
Wigmore Hall and Classic FM have launched a £5-ticket scheme, making discounted tickets for selected concerts available to under-35s. 25,000 concerts will be available in the scheme every season. Details on concerts for which tickets are available are here.
More Than Just A Choir, which provides musical creativity for people affected by mental ill-health, were featured by BBC Radio 5 Live last week. In the three minute segment, which you can watch here, members described the positive impact of being part of the choir.
A new fund to kick start the careers of Scotland’s emerging creative artists was launched this week by The Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland.
The Make It Happen Fund will support early stage professional development, covering areas such as training and testing ideas to forming new companies and collaborations. The £10,000 microfunding initiative will award sums from £250 to £750 and is open to those who graduated from the Royal Conservatoire between 2016 and 2018. Further information here.
A monk born in 1698 has been credited with the invention of electronic music. Dom Prokop Diviš was fascinated, perhaps obsessed, by both music and electricity. Independently of Benjamin Franklin, Diviš invented the lightening conductor. In the mid-18th century he unveiled an iron-strung keyboard, the Denis d’or – and its strings held an electric charge. More about Dom Prokop Diviš in Becky Ferreira’s article here.
What next?
- Read earlier editions of Good Music News.
- If there’s something you would like us to cover in Good Music News Friday, 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.