Culture Politick

Munira Mirza, Boris Johnson’s Mayoral Advisor on Arts and Culture, writes for us about the Mayor’s Music Education Strategy, which has been launched today.

The music scene in London is unparalleled. We have more live music performances than New York, Paris, Tokyo or Shanghai and some of the world’s greatest musicians, bands and orchestras.

But whilst the number of opportunities for young people to get involved and engage with music has increased dramatically over the last few years, access to affordable and ongoing tuition is much more patchy. If parents cannot afford to pay, their children often cannot develop their talent.

The Mayor passionately believes that playing a musical instrument is something every young person should have the opportunity to experience. It can have a transformative impact; enriching the mind, giving knowledge and teaching valuable skills and discipline. It’s not just about diverting them from youth crime or boosting the creative economy.

But in order to create the next generation of Lilly Allen’s and Julian Lloyd Webber’s we have to make sure that the quarter of London’s population who are under-19 have the right opportunities.

Today, the Mayor has published ‘Making Music Matter: Music Education Strategy for London 2010-2012′ (HERE) and unveiled plans for a new fund aimed at increasing music education across the capital.

More than £250,000 will be put into a range of projects to improve musical opportunities for young Londoners, both as players and as audiences, including a Music Education Fund, worth £100,000.

This fund will offer seed money for partnerships between local authority music services and orchestras in the capital, so that more young Londoners, irrespective of background, can learn to play orchestral instruments and experience working with professional musicians.

The strategy also includes initiatives to celebrate and promote music in London. ‘Rhythm of London’, which saw over 100 participatory musical events throughout the city in 2009 is happening again this April.  As is the Rhythm of London busking scheme, which gave young musicians playing at Tube stations the chance to win musical instruments and a year’s licence for a TfL busking slot.

We know there are hundreds of arts organisations, orchestras and local music services already doing fantastic work. Our aim is to build on this by championing what exists and encouraging partnerships so that all young people in London have the opportunity to reach their full musical potential.

If you want to find out more about the Strategy or register an interest in the Fund please email: rhythmoflondon@london.gov.uk