Music Education
Plato reportedly once said that music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue. What better education can there be but for the virtue of a soul? Particularly a child's soul?
"There are so many ways music adds value to a child's life - philosophical as well as practical," says Marion Friend, Director of Junior Trinity - London's longest running junior music conservatoire. She believes the value of music education for a child is immense.
"I think it implants aural awareness and listening skills which are so important in our hectic age of mass media. A time of stillness and calm in the company of parents, teachers or siblings can only be beneficial, rather than constant activity. Music can appeal to kids or babies at all the developmental stages and can take the place of words for those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Kids often want to copy what they hear by singing back or singing along with the music - this is a great start," she says.
In 1906, Trinity College of Music was the first UK Conservatoire to open its doors to school children on Saturdays. The department pioneered the creative aspects of music-making in extemporisation, improvisation, and composition, unusual at the time, but now considered essential elements in music education. One hundred years on, tens of thousands of young people have benefited from opportunities to make music both as part of an ensemble and as an individual.
Benefits include developing a child's imagination and creativity, says Lucy Brown, Trinity's Raising the Roof Schools' Programme Manager.
Raising the Roof is Trinity's schools music education programme for the London Boroughs of Greenwich & Lewisham.
"Making music with others can encourage social interaction, sharing, group work and understanding of others. Learning an instrument can develop creativity, discipline, enjoyment of working with others, meeting new people through playing in ensembles and developing new friendships," she says.
"As an older child there are opportunities to tour with ensembles which develops independence and for some children who find it hard to achieve, music can be very accessible and encourage a sense of achievement and success given the right introduction, guidance and encouragement. It allows children to flourish and learn without realising that they're doing so."
Award-winning film and TV composer and Junior Trinity alumni Debbie Wiseman recalls the impact her musical education had on her as a child.
"When I was nine years old, when most children would be at home watching cartoons, I'd be sitting in a circle with lots of wonderful musicians at Trinity. It was those little circles that got me really interested in composing," she says.
Barry Wordsworth, Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra and Music Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, believes his career is a direct result of being introduced to music at an early age also.
"My time at Junior Trinity was crucial to me. Its enlightened curriculum, which was anything but stuffy, provided me with the most formative influences of my musical training, and as a result I decided that music would be what I wanted to do as a career."
But there are many more music education facilities other than Saturday centres linked to conservatoires - like Junior Trinity.
"Children can learn at school, through music services, other music schools, for example Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts, and locally," says Lucy. "Once you've decided on an instrument - it may be possible to borrow one if your child is learning through a school or music service but if not, then think about hiring one initially. Many music shops offer excellent packages where you pay a very reasonable hire fee for three months or more - then this can go towards purchasing the instrument if your child wants to commit. Private teachers often advertise themselves locally but get advice and look at listed teachers before deciding."
Websites such as the following contain advice and lists of registered teachers:
www.abrsm.org or www.musicteachers.co.uk or www.ism.org
And try The Music Group online. It has a great teacher's resource centre where there is extra information and materials available to download. It features play-along CDs which are great for beginners, instrumental tutor books and the latest multimedia software.
