There’s been a lot in the press recently about music education, or the lack of. Over recent years, the British government have seen fit to reduce the budgets, especially in primary school music education. When I was growing up (many many years ago!), we had a school teacher whose dedicated position was to teach music to all of the children. It’s completely down to her, (Mrs Davenhill from St Michael’s Primary School in Pelsall – thank you!) that I am a professional musician today. I am 100% sure that without her passion and generosity, letting me play the piano in school assembly for example, that I wouldn’t be working and living my life through music today.
Robert Emery’s primary school teacher, Mrs. Davenhill.
Lot of people who aren’t musicians wonder what all the fuss is about. They think it’s sensible to divert the budgets to learning to read, write, mathematics and science, as of course it’s far more important than simply music. In some respect I agree with them, I certainly understand them. However, imagine this time of year without your local Christmas carol concert, without your local school concert where all the children play and sing fabulous Christmas songs, without the Christmas race for number one that happens every year; Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without music! It’s of course not the only reason, but it is so important that music education amongst young children is turned around to be seen as a priority, not just a luxury. Unless this happens and happens soon, we will soon find there is national shortage of musicians who can play at professional standard and that will affect our cultural ratings worldwide.
At the moment we are lucky enough to be one of the most culturally advanced countries in the world, and in London there are hundreds of concerts and events going on every day. Without the musicians to support that, not only will the music industry fail, but more importantly culture in this country will start to fail too.
London’s biggest music lesson agency, the Arts Academy, prides itself on one thing and one thing only – having fun whilst learning music. This to me is the trick to getting children interested and learning a musical instrument. Without enjoying the instrument they play, most people give up, and those who don’t give up dislike the instrument enough that they don’t play it well. That’s why having fun learning music has always been and will always be the foundation of both mine and Arts Academy’s understanding.
I’ll soon be announcing some exciting projects with a fabulous charity called Youth Music (www.youthmusic.org.uk). These people really understand the importance of music in young people, and it is going to be one of my main aims in 2015 to raise enough funds to support this wonderful charity and the wonderful children who take advantage of it. When these project come around, I hope you will join me in supporting them; but for now, in this joyous festive season, just remember every time you take pleasure from a Christmas song or carol, you’re doing so because they grew up with music as a priority.