Introduction

Another very good year: thirty seven submissions and each one with something good to report. The emphasis on the primary school years is the strongest it has ever been; it is reflected in the volume and range of wider opportunities work and curriculum support. We welcome the concern on the part of many Music Services to invest in new initiatives and projects with greater sustainability. There is clearly much work to be done in many LEAs on developing music technology and ICT.

It is also noticeable that wherever possible, Music Services seek to secure their resource base by spreading income sources and ‘in kind’ support as widely as possible. Of course, dependence by English LEAs on Standards Fund grants is massive, and provision in England, Scotland and Wales would be poorer without the various Youth Music subventions. Indeed, so far as Scotland (where, hitherto, Government has not specifically grant-aided music services) is concerned, the £17.5m injection of new moneys by the Scottish Parliament is providing a much needed boost to music education. Meantime, Music Services in Wales are threatened this year with a big reduction in the Welsh Assembly’s Music Development Fund. If that comes to pass, music education in the Principality will suffer alarmingly.

As always, we pay tribute to the heads of music services, LEA advisers, teachers, instrumental tutors and, in many cases, parents who demonstrably work above and beyond the call of duty to make music education succeed in their areas.

The first part of our report is devoted to those submissions which, while not this year receiving an award, do nonetheless qualify for an honourable mention for what they have achieved in the year.

[ Download the 2004 report in Acrobat PDF format for easy printing ]

[ Photographs by courtesy of Hampshire Music Service ]

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