Posts tagged “MUSIC EDUCATION”

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The vital cultural legacy of the BBC Singers and BBC Orchestras

Posted on 28th April 2023 at 16:02

BBC Symphony Orchestra of London rehearsing for the Last Night of the Proms.

Image credit: Steve Bowbrick, used under creative commons licence.

If you’ve been following the news recently, you may have heard about some proposed cuts to the BBC’s orchestral music provision – including changes that would see a number of its salaried musicians made redundant. The proposals would have seen the BBC Singers, the UK’s only full-time professional chamber choir, scrapped. Further proposals, which received less public attention, included a 20% reduction in funding for the BBC’s three England-based orchestras: the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, and the BBC Philharmonic.

The announcement sent shockwaves through the UK music world, with many organisations leaping into action to campaign against the cuts.

Here at the Music Workshop Company, along with others across the sector, we firmly believe the BBC Singers and the BBC’s orchestras are vital for inspiring young musicians.

In Praise of Music Education in Primary Schools

Posted on 31st March 2023 at 14:53

This month, we hear from Nat Dye, music leader at Newham’s Nelson Primary School, which recently scooped a national award for its outstanding music provision. Nat, who alongside his role is also a youth ensemble leader, conductor and band leader, trombonist, composer and arranger, and performing jazz musician, argues the case for bringing music specialists into schools.

Play time: the benefit of music in schools

Posted on 28th February 2023 at 12:22

This month, we hear from PPL PRS, the organisation behind TheMusicLicence – a key factor in allowing schools to play recorded music.

They explore the impact music can have for children’s development, and tell us why TheMusicLicence is so important for schools and musicians alike.

What is the point of music education, anyway?

Posted on 31st January 2023 at 10:40

Image credit: Siniz Kim, Unsplash

In the national debate about what the school curriculum should look like, music education can too often lose out when held up against ‘core’ subjects like Maths and English. You could even be forgiven for thinking that music education is a ‘nice to have’ – a ‘soft’ subject that only serves a real purpose for young people who hope to pursue a career in music.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth. This month, we explore why music education is important for everyone, and the benefits it can deliver beyond learning about music itself.

The Brass Academy: fun and learning for students and tutors alike

Posted on 30th November 2022 at 14:51

This month, Tom Rainer, Musical Director of The Brass Academy, tells us about their five-day music courses for young people. Tom, who is also Deputy Head (Pastoral) at the Pilgrims School in Hampshire and principal trumpet of the London Concert Orchestra, explains how the courses work for young musicians of all abilities - and why the best teachers are those who learn from their students.

The great improviser: celebrating 200 years of César Franck

Posted on 16th November 2022 at 12:25

This year marks the double centenary of César Franck, the French composer known for his romantic style and his skill in improvisation. But for much of his life, Franck’s compositions at best split opinion, or worse, failed to win critical praise or even much public attention.

To mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, we take a look at his musical career and ask: how did he finally make his mark, and why has he endured for so long after spending so many years in relative obscurity?

The Music Workshop Company Blog