Music Education and R3 and BBC

[MrGongGong]

Just on a reductionist "economic" note in fact we do need trained musicians and we need to find a way of training those who have a talent and can't afford the very considerable costs.

That's also simple

STOP VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL DESTROY THE IDEA OF EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE


aaah wait a minute that leaves ?

Or simply buy some from Asia

[teamsaint]

I once, in an idle moment, worked out very roughly what my sons's grade 8 cello had cost us. Well north of £10k.
And he was the cheap one, compared to the cost of getting daughter to a level that enabled her to to study music at University, probably at least double that figure.

[Guest]

Well - "the easier bit", perhaps? Teaching already-motivated children (those learning an instrument, for example, with at least half an idea of becoming professional Musicians) is a difficult and complicated business, but not as difficult and complicated as finding ways of demonstrating that Music (making Music, thinking about it, actively - rather than passively - listening to it - even just being aware of it) can play an important part in the lives and well-being of those who think that at best that it's just a "hobby" for other people, and not something that's relevant to them.

And, whilst I'm here, I'd add my usual refrain that it's not just Music that's suffering in this respect: all the creative/imaginative subject areas (visual Art, Drama, Dance) are being displaced in schools even as those very schools will use "creativity" and "imagination" as buzzwords in their prospectuses to attract parents. (Not "proper", "real" subjects, you see ... just "hobbies".)

Hardly surprising, when "Education" itself has been replaced by "Training", "knowledge" by "skills", etc etc ...

[Lat-Literal]

Music Matters has just had 'experts in the field' talking about music and education. Good as far as it goes.

Now the reality:
From a small rural primary or secondary school in the North West, it costs £500+ to get a class to a 'centre' eight miles away. for a same class to a big venue 35 miles away, £1k. Plus extra teachers for safeguarding, plus what it costs parents to get into school late evening to pick up in a catchment area that stretches in a roughly 30 miles diameter- no kid is to be allowed to walk home in the dark these days even in remote but friendly rural town.

[a] Can spouting 'experts' tell me if they have any idea of the huge hit this has on school's finances? The Music Dept's budget? Teachers' time? Yet we had the outline of wonderful hub-based contact schemes, inclusion initiatives, outreach strategies - got the super-cool managerial-speak yet?

[b] Where do these people live who pontificate about their exciting programmes? Cities. Right, so that's it sorted and OK for city kids because obviously rural kids aren't interested in or likely to appreciate live music, are they? And sure as heck they mostly can't afford to get to the 'hubs' / 'centres' etc, so....?

[c] The biggest national patron of musics of all kinds in UK is? = the BBC. More ensembles, musicians etc in their employ or at their beck than anyone. What is the BBC's role in making musicians available in areas beyond the reach / budget of rural schools? Apparently, accordong to this Music Matters [ha!] it is none.

I simply wept as I listened.

Why aren't the pupils travelling by bus?

If it was anywhere near Aldeburgh I'd quite understand - 6.10pm's the latest; ludicrous - but what about the role of parents and their umpteen over-the-speed-limit cars?

And apart from the Forest of Bowland area, I'm not seeing the North West of England as especially rural although I could be wrong?

[MrGongGong]

Why aren't the pupils travelling by bus?

I'm assuming you live somewhere where there are bus services in the evenings?

small rural primary or secondary school in the North West,

You don't have to be very "rural" to have NO public transport at all

[Lat-Literal]

I'm assuming you live somewhere where there are bus services in the evenings?



You don't have to be very "rural" to have NO public transport at all

But there is a point about expectations.

If I lived in Rhyader I wouldn't necessarily expect the access to London style services that I might expect unrealistically in Clitheroe.

And I'd be grateful not to live in a Metropolis hell.

(I've had (dodgy but salt-of-the-earth) mates from Hulme - you could walk from it to Cheethams - but few from the former will end up at the latter purely because of proximity)

[MrGongGong]

But there is a point about expectations.

Of course
The lucky ones will get Saint Simons Palace of Culture and Education
the rest of us can go and whistle ?

This isn't good enough IMV

Youngsters in locations with less access need MORE money spent to enable them to participate

Hulme is fancy apartment land these days