Music education BBC article

Subject: Music education BBC article
From: MBSLynne
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:28 AM

I thought people might be interested in this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6060006.stm

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: Tootler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:51 AM

Interesting.

Blue Clicky

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: MBSLynne
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 02:29 PM

Thanks for the blue clicky Tootler...they are beyond my capabilities!

I wonder how much of this music teaching they are talking about is free? I believe that learning a musical instrument should be available to every child but, certainly around here, it's actually quite expensive and prohibitive for a lot of people.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: nutty
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:42 PM

I sometimes despair of today's education establishments who make things appear so difficult.
At school in the late 40's/early 50's I was taught to play the mouth organ (harmonica).
These small, inexpensive instruments produced a satisfying sound and we played as a class from the music on the blackboard.
This was a small country school so the only senior class consisted of pupils from 8 - 13years.
Some of the pupils became remarkably proficient at playing and reading music and the reading music was a particular skill that has stayed with me throughout my life.

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 04:09 PM

They've a long way to go to get back to how it was 40 years ago. I very much doubt if the people who make the decsisions will bother - thefre's no money in people making music for themselves.

Backmin 1965 they made a TV film called The PIED PIPERS OF HARLOW about music making in our town:

Library Synopsis

Music-making of all kinds in schools, orchestral and string groups, bands, by singers, choirs and individuals and the contribution it has made to the development of the community in Harlow New Town. This film was first shown on BBC Television in 1965
NFA Catalogue

DOCUMENTARY. The contribution of amateur and professional musicians to the cultural life of Harlow new town, including architect and flautist Eric Jones, beat group the Naturals, string quartet the Alberni Quartet (Bernard Simmonds, Howard Day, John White, Gregory Barron), the First Avenue Jazz Quartet, George Atkinson, and the Nettleswell singers. Rehearsals are shown from a school production of the ballet 'Coppelia', plus music from amateur and youth orchestras and a brass band.

That's from the British Film Institute online Film and TV Database. Of couirse they haven't got a copy, and I very much doubt if the BBC has either . If they tried to make a film like that today they'd have precious little to put in it.

It's sad. It's like a bulldozer moved in and pushed so mnay good things out of the way.

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: Tootler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 06:24 PM

I first learnt recorder as a class activity at the age of 11, in my final year in primary school. Alongside this we were taught the basics of reading music. The two went together and like nutty I acquired the basics of a skill which has served me in good stead over the years.

I did not get much opportunity to play any sort of instrument over the next few years, though I used to pick out tunes on a harmonica.

When my kids started to learn recorder at school, I picked it up again and have been playing ever since.

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: MBSLynne
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 02:51 AM

I learnt recorder at school when I was about 8, for around a year I think. It taught the different notes on the stave. I used to play it to myself in my room after I stopped learning it. From playing by ear while looking at the music, I learned to read the music and I gradually learned other bits by asking musicians (once I got involved in folk). It was a struggle though and my children are both way ahead of me in music theory. Now because Ted is unemployed we are struggling to pay for ShadyLady's flute lessons. I'm determined she'lll keep it up though.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Music education BBC article
From: MBSLynne
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 02:53 AM

We are actually changing her over to a private teacher as it is cheaper than doing it through the school and Leicestershire Arts in education who run our local schools music teaching. And they are supposed to be subsidised!

Love Lynne