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Southbank Centre's head of music leaves to take two roles with El Sistema
8 November 2011
Marshall Marcus, head of music at London’s Southbank Centre, is to
leave the role in order to take up two new appointments which link the venue
with El Sistema, the Venezuelan social initiative which has brought orchestral music to thousands of disadvantaged
children.
'I feel privileged to be able to carry forward
my commitment and enthusiasm for Venezuela’s revolutionary El Sistema, while at the same time
retaining a close connection with Southbank Centre.' said Marcus. 'I have enjoyed five spectacular years at
Southbank Centre and am
honoured by the invitation to establish an orchestra in Venezuela alongside the
project to further cement ties between Southbank Centre and Venezuela.'
The two positions are special project advisor
for Southbank Centre’s El Sistema project,
and director of the Simón Bolívar Music Foundation’s Venezuelan Baroque Music
Programme. Marcus, who will remain based at the
Southbank, has spent much of the autumn in Venezuela as a guest of El
Sistema. He has had a longstanding relationship with the
organisation since its establishment in the 1970s, and believes the project
will allow him to focus his work on the international development of El Sistema. The project, said a spokesman at the
Southbank, will see Marcus working on the development of a business plan which supports
a wide range of music partnerships nationally and internationally, advising the
Centre for Social Action Through Music in Caracas, and facilitating staffing
exchanges between the two organisations.
Still no sign of National Plan for Music as Gove booed at Schools Prom
8 November 2011
The National Plan for Music Education, which will set out government policy for music education in England from September 2012, is still yet to be published by the Department for Education.
There had been rumours of a planned announcement by education secretary Michael Gove at last night's Music for Youth Schools Prom (7 November). However, with the report unpublished and Gove greeted on to the stage by booing from the audience, the minister remained silent on the matter.
The national plan will outline government policy on music education based on the recommendations of Darren Henley's review of the sector published earlier this year, and is expected to focus on encouraging music services, LEAs and regional performance groups to work together in what Henley called 'regional music education hubs'.
The plan will be implemented from September 2012 and with the report still unpublished it is unclear how music education bodies will have the necessary time to prepare for any new way of working. Moreover, the level of funding for music education activity is still unknown. Richard Hallam, national music education grant director, had initially said the plan was expected 'no later than the end of September'.
Gove was last night welcomed onto the stage by Schools Prom host Margherita Taylor to present two awards for the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year. As members of the audience booed, Taylor was forced into crowd control:
'Now now, we're all friends on this stage tonight,' said Taylor. 'Especially when there could be exciting news on the way soon hopefully for music education programmes in our schools, so we look forward to hearing more about that.'
With all eyes on Mr Gove, the education secretary made no mention of the National Plan and moved on to presenting the awards. 'Thank you so much,' he said, 'it's been an amazing night for music education and I've been privileged to be in the audience.'
Gove presented the awards to Kathryn Smith of Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School (Primary School Music Teacher of the Year) and Sheila Cornall of Wycombe High School (Secondary School Music Teacher of the Year). Peripatetic, SEN, new teacher and lifetime achievement awards will be presented on 8 and 9 November.
ALEX STEVENS
Yorkshire Libraries and Information Music and Drama Service faces closure
3 November 2011
The country’s largest music and drama lending library is facing
closure because of a lack of money. The Yorkshire
Libraries and Information Music and Drama Service, which is
based in Wakefield, contains
more than half a million scores and 90,000 scripts.
Twelve local authorities currently
subscribe to the service - Barnsley,
Bradford, Calderdale, Doncaster, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kirklees, Leeds,
North Yorkshire, Rotherham, Sheffield, Wakefield and York - enabling local
music and drama groups to enjoy subsidised loans of materials. But they says they 'are no longer able to
bridge the gap between income and expenditure' and therefore support the
decision to end the service. The Library also has problems with its building and an enforced
move to new premises would further add to the shortfall.
There are now plans to either divide the collection across sub-regional library authorities, or gifting the collection, or parts of the
collection, to other authorities, institutions or groups. Robin Osterley, chief executive of Making Music, said, 'The
rule among choirs all over the country is try your local library first, then
Wakefield. It will be devastating if that ceases to be the case.'
Youth Music launches new funding model
3 November 2011
Youth Music has launched its new funding model with the aim of supporting 'organisations aiming to make a real difference, helping children and young people with least opportunities develop and progress in and through music making.'
As before, the Youth Music's funding is based on grants, with most funding available through an open access approach. Now, those seeking funding can apply via the Youth Music Network website. The new funding model, entitled the Youth Music Programme, comprises a new knowledge-sharing network and grants programme.
All information on applying for funding from the Youth Music Programme can be found on the Youth Music Network site: www.youthmusic.org.uk/network
Academics at University of East Anglia recommend closure of university's School of Music
1 November 2011
A panel of senior academics at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich has recommended the closure of the University’s School of Music. The vice-chancellor, Professor Edward Acton, has accepted the report and the recommendation that will be put to the university's governing council is that UEA should stop offering music as an academic discipline once current students have completed their degrees.
A UEA spokesman said, 'At a time when every university is facing difficult decisions about how best to prioritise its investments, the panel believes that the School of Music cannot meet the scale of the demands now being made on universities.
'The School of Music’s ability to earn research funding is of particular concern, in the light of funding changes to universities. The review also notes that it would be difficult to grow student numbers within the school saying it would require the university to divert resources from, and possibly put at risk, other disciplines.'
Professor Acton added, 'What makes this position especially painful is the knowledge of the school’s fine achievements, the quality and passion of its staff under successive leaders and the pride and affection of cohorts of alumni,' said Professor Acton.
'Whatever Council may decide, we are determined to ensure that current students in the school are strongly supported and are able to complete their studies successfully. We also remain committed to music as a vital aspect of the social and cultural life of the university and to the continuation of the flourishing choirs and orchestras which are central to that work.'
The recommendations will be taken to the University’s Senate on 9 November 2011, and the final decision on the future of the School of Music rests with Council which meets on 28 November.
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