In recent years, music education in schools has taken a huge hit with funding and resources being diverted to other areas. As a result, the opportunity for barrier-free access to music has diminished. When approached privately, there are often great financial barriers to contend with: the cost of an instrument alone can render music tuition wholly inaccessible. The Chiltern Music Academy, however, are working to change this through their project, Sing and String.
With sponsorship from the Buckinghamshire Building Society, the Chiltern Music Academy were able to deliver music lessons to 180 primary school children over the last year. At no cost to the schools, the students involved with the programme will be provided with the violins to gain hands-on experience with the instruments across 10 weeks of lessons.
The Academy also want to ensure that the teachers in the classroom also benefit from these lessons. By providing an assistant during these sessions, the teachers are able to immerse themselves in the experience as they do not have to monitor the children so actively. As a result of this, they have the opportunity to develop skills and techniques that they can take into future music lessons, whether as part of the curriculum they deliver or as a leader with the Chiltern Music Academy.
Our funding contributed to the provision of two complete cycles of the Sing and String programme in three primary schools across High Wycombe: Ash Hill School; Highworth School; and Kings Wood School. We are thrilled to hear that both children and teachers alike thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are keen to continue.
The benefits to be gained from receiving a music education as a child are manifold: the pure enjoyment that comes with being creative, the bolstering of a child’s self-esteem and resilience, and the improvements made to their problem- solving skills (to name just a few!). This projects has used music to create an environment that fosters creativity and a sense of community. We have been so inspired by the Chalfont Music Academy’s work and are glad that they are working to ensure that so many children are able to receive a high-quality music education.
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