Schools Secretary joins star-studded list to launch National Year of Music

The Year of Music will also be supported by Lily Allen, rock legend guitarist Slash, N-Dubz, The Hoosiers, Vanessa Mae, Dannii Minogue, Katherine Jenkins, the English National Ballet, the cast of Wicked and Mamma Mia and DJ Yoda, who have all come together to inspire children and highlight the broad range of musical opportunities on offer.

In launching the Year of Music, which will run from September 2009 until September 2010, Mr Balls has urged schools and local authorities to make a greater effort in getting young people involved in music. By 2011, Mr Balls aims to give over 2 million children the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. This is backed by the Government's £330 million investment in music, both inside and outside of the classroom.  Events will take place throughout the year across the country to encourage children and young people to pick up an instrument and learn something new.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Mr Balls said: "I want to create a generation of talented performers who can sing, dance, play instruments and fly the flag for Great Britain."

"Music is at the very heart of British popular culture - it's what kids talk about, it's what they aspire to. It's fantastic that TV talent shows like X factor attract millions of viewers each week, but young people need to know that they can only become stars by mastering the basics when they're young and by learning about a range of music - from classical to country. This is exactly why we need world class music education in schools."

"Headteachers tell me the reason why they want to teach music and dance is not just because they're fun, but they also have a positive impact on pupils' reading and writing. Research backs this up, showing direct links between music and attainment, better behaviour and better social cohesion.  Far from it being a ‘soft subject', the benefits of music are simply too important to ignore. This is exactly why we have invested £330million in music since 2008. This has provided nearly 1 million primary school children with access to free music tuition, along with hundreds of other opportunities to perform and learn from experts in the field, through programmes like ‘Sing up' and Music Partnerships with world class classical musicians like the London Symphony Orchestra."

"But we want this investment to reach every child, to broaden more young people's horizons and create more chances for them to both enjoy and learn from music and dance.  Giving young people the chance to learn about music can teach them more than just the ins and outs of an instrument. It forms an integral part of our culture, and I believe it should be an integral part of every childhood. I want the National Year of Music to celebrate our great and diverse musical heritage, to champion our remarkable young talent, and enable more children and young people to experience the fantastic musical opportunities that are on offer in this country."

The Government has already gone a long way to get children and young people into music with the ‘Sing Up' programme, making valuable resources available to over 3 million primary pupils. Moreover, significant government funding has made over 230,000 new instruments available to children around the country.

The number of children learning an instrument at key stage 2 has more than doubled to 55% since 2005 but Schools Minister Diane Johnson believes a further push forward is needed.  She said: "Music education is an important part of the national curriculum. Ofsted tells us that in schools where the music provision is good, it not only has a positive impact on pupils, but also on teachers and the wider community. This is exactly why having a varied and exciting curriculum, that engages young people and keeps them learning for longer, is a top priority for this Government - and we are freeing up the curriculum to give teachers the chance to do this."

"Research from the Institute of Education tells us that involvement with music can have a huge impact on the development of young people, and that it can even promote social cohesion and better behaviour. And because we know that learning to play an instrument can improve both reading and writing, it is right that music should play an important role in school life, and beyond."

"Through the National Year of Music, we not only want to celebrate the wealth of young musical talent that we have in this country, but we also want to make more schools - and parents - aware of the importance of good music opportunities. More funding, more exciting resources, and more opportunities to work with the music industry mean that music should no longer be a side-lined subject in the timetable."


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