British public backs music education

Ninety-one per cent of adults in Britain want children to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument at school, according to research from the Incorporated Society of Musicians.

The musicians' professional body commissioned YouGov to survey 2,095 people online in a representative sample of all adults in Great Britain.

People from all backgrounds were strongly in favour of giving children the chance to learn an instrument, with 90% or more support in all age groups and social grades.

ISM Chief Executive, Deborah Annetts, will announce the findings in her keynote speech, entitled 'Fighting for the future', at the Music Learning Live conference in Manchester on Friday 26 February. She said:

'These results are overwhelming evidence that people in Britain are hugely supportive of our world-class music education system. Now is the moment for us to speak up loudly and proclaim just how good music education is in this country and how much support it has.'

'In a time of political and economic uncertainty with the threat of cuts, we need to fight for the importance of music education. We now know that the public is unquestionably behind us.'

'Reasonable cost'

The ISM survey also found that 77% of respondents think the cost of central government funding for music lessons in England is reasonable.

The government contributes £82.5 million to music education through the Music Standards Fund – around 3p per person per week. This is supplemented by a further £137 million from local authorities, schools, parents, sponsorship and charities.

Adults' musical ambitions

The ISM research also looked at adults' own musical ambitions. It found that 19% of respondents said they already played an instrument or sang in a choir, and 43% said they would like to do so.

Deborah Annetts said:

'Every human being is born with a certain level of musical potential and music education must reflect this. We need those working in music to link up and ensure that all people have access to music education from the cradle to the grave.'

ENDS [2_10]

Notes to editors

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov plc. Total sample size was 2095 adults (questions 1 and 3) and 2047 (question 2). Fieldwork was undertaken between 3 - 10 February 2010. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in Great Britain (aged 18+).

2. 'Respondents' excludes those who answered 'don't know' to questions 2 and 3, ie 18% and 9% respectively of those surveyed.

3. Breakdown of age groups: 18-24, 90%; 25-34, 92%; 35-44, 90%; 45-54, 91%; 55+, 93%. Breakdown of social grades: ABC1, 93%; C2DE, 90%.

4. The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) is the UK's professional body for musicians. We promote the art of music and the interests of professional musicians through campaigns, support and practical advice. We are a wholly independent non profit making organisation founded in 1882. Without political interference or financial imperatives we express robust and authoritative views which champion both music and professional musicians. Our members come from all branches of the profession – performers, composers, teachers, music therapists, academics and advisers. We also have other levels of membership for students and those just starting out in the profession as well as for bodies such as schools, conservatoires and orchestras and those who simply want to support our work as advocates of music.

5. Advance copies of Deborah Annetts' speech to Music Learning Live, photographs of Deborah Annetts, and more detailed data from the YouGov survey are available to journalists. Please contact Callum Thomson.

Contact

Callum Thomson, Head of Marketing & Media, T: 020 7629 4413 E: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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