Friday 9 September 2011
Industry representatives and MPs speak in support of ISM campaign
‘There is a clear sense from the whole of the music sector that the composition of the English Baccalaureate must be looked at again,’ said Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM).
Last month the ISM, the professional association for musicians, and Music Teacher magazine launched a campaign to keep music in schools, focussing on the English Baccalaureate (EBac).
Then on Wednesday, at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education, for which the ISM provides secretariat support, there was a clear sense from those in the room that the omission of music from the EBac was an oversight that could threaten the UK’s position in the global music economy.
Deborah Annetts urged musicians, the music sector and the wider creative and cultural industries to join the ISMs continuing campaign to keep music in schools, saying:
‘Government must understand that the future of our economy rests with maintaining a strong music offer within our schools. Therefore Government must immediately adopt the sixth pillar of the EBac with music as a central part of that offer.
'We are now calling on our colleagues across the sectors to join our campaign to have music included in a sixth creative and cultural pillar of the EBac’
Mike Weatherley, Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education said:
‘Yesterday we heard about the world beating economic value of music to the UK economy and the contribution music education makes to this position; it is therefore puzzling in light of this that music and the wider creative and cultural subjects have not been included in the English Baccalaureate. I will be writing to the Secretary of State asking him to look again at this decision and to seek a sixth pillar of options for pupils to study.’
Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education said:
‘Music education in the UK is world class but the English Baccalaureate is diminishing opportunities for future musicians in our schools and undermining this excellent international reputation; the problems that the current policy is setting in store for the future are deeply concerning.’
Will Page, Chief Economist from PRS for Music, who spoke at the meeting, said:
‘Music is one of the few genuine export success stories the UK can claim. But it is worth highlighting the aging population of live music performers. In the most recent PRS for Music ‘Adding Up The UK Music Industry Report’ we showed that of top grossing US tours of the decade by age of lead singer in 2011, almost 60 percent will be over the age of 50 in 2011 (see chart). This has made many industry professionals ask who is going to invest in the heritage acts of the future.’