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NEWS F National plan and music service announced for Wales HALL IKE M E Students at St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School in Swansea performing The Welsh government has announced the publication of the country’s first National Plan for Music Education and the creation of a National Music Service, backed by £13.5m. Covering children and young people aged three to 16, the Plan will be implemented across schools and settings in Wales from September 2022, with a ‘particular focus’ on learners from low-income households and those with additional needs. Having invested £1.5m per year as a baseline funding for music services and ensembles support since 2018/19, the Welsh government has committed to an additional £3m per year. The overall funding for music education each year will be £4.5m for the next three years. The funding, NPME and National Music Service were announced by Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford and minister for education and Welsh language Jeremy Miles at St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary school on 16 May, where they joined a group of primary school children taking part in a ‘Play Along’ session led by Swansea Music Service. Four key strands On announcing the Plan, the government highlighted four key strands of work, including a review of music tutors’ terms and conditions to ensure ‘proper’ recognition and a ‘First Experiences’ programme to offer primary school children a minimum of a half a term of instrumental taster sessions. The Plan also includes a ‘Making Music with Others’ initiative for secondary school students to gain industry experience through working with musicians, and a new national instrument and equipment library. The new National Music Service, which seeks to coordinate the currently sporadic offering across Wales, will operate as a ‘hub’ operated by the Welsh Local Government Association. Launching in tandem with the new Curriculum for Wales, which includes music as one of the five disciplines within the Expressive Arts Area of Learning and Experience, the Plan will help schools deliver the new curriculum and provide ‘more diverse opportunities’ for young people outside of school. Suffering music services In an article published on 13 May, Senedd Research outlined the context of the latest developments in Wales, including a brief summary of the research, polls, committees and studies that have informed the creation of a Plan and a Music Service. Over the last 10 years, non-statutory music services have suffered as a result of reductions in public spending and constraints on local authority budgets. In broad terms, the new National Music Service and accompanying Plan are the government’s response to this. First minister Mark Drakeford said: ‘The establishment of a National Music Service for Wales is an important commitment in our Programme for Government and I’m delighted that we are delivering on this pledge.’ The education minister Jeremy Miles said: ‘Our vision is for all children and young people across Wales, regardless of background, to have the chance to learn to play an instrument.’ Response Response to the Plan have been largely positive (see p.30). The Musicians’ Union said in their official response: ‘While the MU sees the plan as a significant step forward, we will be watching closely to see that it delivers all that is promised with sufficient evaluation and accountability. Time will tell if the allocated budget is sufficient to include all schools and children, and this will need to be kept under review.’ This is great news overall and a real victory in terms of some important ideas making their way into Welsh government policy. There’s a long way to go, however, and the MU will continue to engage constructively.’ The National Plan for Music Education in Wales can be read in full at gov.wales/nationalplan-music-education. 6 F July 2022 F MUSIC TEACHER www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk
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F NEWS Music & Drama Education Awards nominations now open for 2023 Nominations are now open for the Music & Drama Education Awards 2023, which celebrate the achievements of teachers, school departments, individuals, resources, organisations, and charities. The expert judging panel and host will be announced closer to the ceremony, which will be held on 23 February. Nominations can be made for the following categories: Ɂ Outstanding Musical Initiative Ɂ Outstanding Drama Initiative Ɂ Outstanding Music Education Resource Ɂ Outstanding Drama Education Resource Ɂ Excellence in SEND (Music & Drama) Ɂ Excellence in Musical Theatre Ɂ Excellence in Primary/ Early Years (Music & Drama) Ɂ Outstanding School Music Department Ɂ Outstanding School Drama Department Ɂ Francesca Hanley Inspiration Award Ɂ Drama Inspiration Award Ɂ Lifetime Achievement Award The Music Teacher and Drama & Theatre Editor’s Awards will also be presented at the ceremony. The MDEA 2022 took place in March at the London Marriott Hotel, and was hosted by Myleene Klass, courtesy of headline sponsor Classic FM. To find out more about each category and submit a nomination online, visit www. musicdramaedawards.com Teachers and schools encouraged to help Ukraine Music Hub Sheku Kanneh-Mason to take up new performance mentoring role at RAM Agroup of London-based musicians and teachers have formed the Ukraine Music Hub, which aims to provide musicians of all ages from Ukraine with support, instruments, connections to music tuition, and spaces to take lessons. Aiming to build a UK-wide database, the voluntary hub is encouraging music teachers across the UK with an enhanced DBS to register for teaching hours on a voluntary basis. Schools are encouraged to offer space for lessons, and several schools across the country have already committed to providing their facilities so far. The public is also invited to donate or loan any musical instruments they do not use. While the music hub is initially supporting individual music lessons, in the future they hope to offer group music making opportunities. Find out more by contacting info@ukrainehub.com, or call 07306014873. www.ukrainemusichub.com CANVA The Royal Academy of Music has announced that alumnus Sheku Kanneh-Mason is to be its first Menuhin Visiting Professor of Performance Mentoring – a new role named after violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin. E Sheku Kanneh Mason JOHNSON ICHAEL M RAM’s head of strings, Jo Cole, said: ‘Sheku’s ingenuity, open-hearted communication, and experience as a young artist on the international stage will make him an inspirational and energetic guide, and we’re delighted to welcome him to the Academy in this new role.’ Kanneh-Mason will work with undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma students in a series of visits to the Academy each year, building their confidence and sharing tools for arranging and transcribing. The cellist will start in the new role from September 2022. He will also provide students with advice on effectively and efficiently using their time in the rehearsal room. On his appointment, KannehMason said: ‘It is incredibly exciting to be starting this new role at the Royal Academy of Music. The Academy is a place that has really shaped my musical development for so many years.’ ‘I hope to encourage students to be open, interesting and rounded musicians.’ www.ram.ac.uk www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk MUSIC TEACHER F July 2022 F 7

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F NEWS

Music & Drama Education Awards nominations now open for 2023

Nominations are now open for the Music & Drama Education Awards 2023, which celebrate the achievements of teachers, school departments, individuals, resources, organisations, and charities. The expert judging panel and host will be announced closer to the ceremony, which will be held on 23 February.

Nominations can be made for the following categories: Ɂ Outstanding Musical Initiative Ɂ Outstanding Drama Initiative Ɂ Outstanding Music Education

Resource Ɂ Outstanding Drama Education

Resource Ɂ Excellence in SEND (Music &

Drama) Ɂ Excellence in Musical Theatre Ɂ Excellence in Primary/ Early

Years (Music & Drama) Ɂ Outstanding School Music

Department Ɂ Outstanding School Drama

Department Ɂ Francesca Hanley Inspiration

Award Ɂ Drama Inspiration Award Ɂ Lifetime Achievement Award

The Music Teacher and Drama & Theatre Editor’s Awards will also be presented at the ceremony.

The MDEA 2022 took place in

March at the London Marriott Hotel, and was hosted by Myleene Klass, courtesy of headline sponsor Classic FM.

To find out more about each category and submit a nomination online, visit www. musicdramaedawards.com

Teachers and schools encouraged to help Ukraine Music Hub Sheku Kanneh-Mason to take up new performance mentoring role at RAM

Agroup of London-based musicians and teachers have formed the Ukraine Music Hub, which aims to provide musicians of all ages from Ukraine with support, instruments, connections to music tuition, and spaces to take lessons.

Aiming to build a UK-wide database, the voluntary hub is encouraging music teachers across the UK with an enhanced DBS to register for teaching hours on a voluntary basis.

Schools are encouraged to offer space for lessons, and several schools across the country have already committed to providing their facilities so far. The public is also invited to donate or loan any musical instruments they do not use.

While the music hub is initially supporting individual music lessons, in the future they hope to offer group music making opportunities.

Find out more by contacting info@ukrainehub.com, or call 07306014873. www.ukrainemusichub.com

CANVA

The Royal Academy of Music has announced that alumnus Sheku Kanneh-Mason is to be its first Menuhin Visiting Professor of Performance Mentoring – a new role named after violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin.

E Sheku Kanneh Mason

JOHNSON

ICHAEL

M

RAM’s head of strings, Jo Cole, said: ‘Sheku’s ingenuity, open-hearted communication, and experience as a young artist on the international stage will make him an inspirational and energetic guide, and we’re delighted to welcome him to the Academy in this new role.’

Kanneh-Mason will work with undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma students in a series of visits to the Academy each year, building their confidence and sharing tools for arranging and transcribing. The cellist will start in the new role from September 2022. He will also provide students with advice on effectively and efficiently using their time in the rehearsal room.

On his appointment, KannehMason said: ‘It is incredibly exciting to be starting this new role at the Royal Academy of Music. The Academy is a place that has really shaped my musical development for so many years.’

‘I hope to encourage students to be open, interesting and rounded musicians.’ www.ram.ac.uk www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk

MUSIC TEACHER F July 2022 F 7

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