Music teaching cuts threaten to take away a ‘joy for life’
Tuesday 17th March 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
More than 200 musicians performed as an orchestra in front of music mentor Kay Tucker. Left to right: 17-year-olds Cecily Christopher, Casey-Joe Rumens, Elizabeth Chan and Grace Le Tocq. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0739555)
THE Schools Music Service is vital to Guernsey, according to a top UK cellist and festival adjudicator, who visited the island on Saturday.
Kay Tucker, a strings specialist adjudicator for the British & International Federation of Festivals, was in the island to adjudicate the Festival of Music for Youth.
She warned that an Education Department cut in funding would be short-sighted and said musical activity was hugely beneficial to individuals and the community.
‘It is vital, absolutely vital, that they don’t make cuts now, especially in this era of recession.’
She said Guernsey’s music service was exceptionally good and that Education should take into consideration the effect of musical activity on young people’s development and how it kept them involved in society.
‘For young people to be involved in music is so life-enhancing and worthwhile, it will give them a joy for life. It is so good for educational development and social skills.
‘It would be very short-sighted indeed to cut musical education budgets, especially when you have such enthusiastic teachers here and people playing at such a high standard.’
The festival was run concurrently with others across the UK, with selected groups from each region being chosen by the adjudicator to compete in further rounds in the UK.
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I would like to hear an independent view on this subject, as it’s pretty obvious Kay Tucker has a vested interest being a music adjudicator. I would certainly take it more seriously if it came from an unbiased source with no particular axe to grind.
I’m sure she has a point in some of what she says, although perhaps not quite to the extent she makes out. I cannot believe that the community would suffer a huge loss if the service was canned – at least not to the level to deem it “vital.”
I must emphasise that I am not against the music service so if we can afford it, it would be a shame to lose it. The problem is that Guernsey does not have bottomless pockets so when hard times come something has to give and like it or not, it’s always the cream that gets skimmed off the top first. In business, the non-essential jobs get cut first, Education is simply following suit by looking at non-essential services such as the music service.
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I dont know much about the music centre. But maybe they could charge the children a small fee to help cover costs? They might already, I do not know. It is just an idea.
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The Music Service provides’free’one on one instrument lessons to a chosen few.£650,000, when music is already part of the curriculam !!The Music centre,held on Saturdays is orchestra playing which is funded differently, tell me if I am wrong. Why is drama, sports or dance not given this free funding as they are all equally as important to youngsters development.Ironically many of the children who enjoy the free music service have lessons in these other areas paid for by their parents.Lets be fair on ALL our chidren and use the money for the benefit of all.Please don’t be swayed by those who say music would dissapear their are many talented children who do not get these free lessons. The UK does not supply free lessons why should we.
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The music service does not currently charge its students and so it is fully accessible to young people from all backgrounds. Cuts would lead to charges and inevitably hit the poorer families first.
It is a shame that this is only an issue because the States could not follow the department’s recommendation about merging schools. Putting the music service beyond the financial reach of some pupils will have a far more direct and adverse effect than would have occurred by asking students to move schools, where resources could be pooled.
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It may be vital but it isn’t essential.
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