Young Musicians who are members of Basingstoke Area Youth Orchestras and Choirs are expected to rehearse in their ensembles for an hour each week or bi-weekly for 2 hours. during term time. They also perform in concert at least 3 times per year often more.
Non - compulsory musical opportunities are also offered to support their musical education and ensure the quality of ensemble performance. These include workshop days, workshop weekends and Concert Tours. A fee is charged to attend some of these events others are fully funded from other sources.
Where events are organised The Charity has created a fund and process to ensure access is available to all BAYOC members and that no one is excluded due to Financial Disadvantage or Personal Exceptional Circumstance.
We recognise that individual circumstances need individual solutions. Where Financial Disadvantage is evidenced at a level where support would be provided by a Hampshire Education state maintained school if an educational trip was organised by a school, or where Exceptional Circumstances such as (but not restricted to) a familial crisis such as a death, serious illness or injury of a family member, the sudden loss of earnings of a wage earner or separation or divorce occurs then funding will be considered for partial or full payment of the attendance charge as deemed appropriate.
The Importance of supporting disadvantaged young people's music education was highlighted in February 2019 in 'Music Education: State of the Nation' a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education. The co-chairs Diana Johnson MP and Andrew Percy MP said:
" This report shows the scale of the crisis facing music education in England. It shows how Government policy around accountability measures and the curriculum has contributed to a sharp decline in opportunities for pupils to have access to a music education. "
** For more Information regarding this report see the additional information at the bottom of this section marked **1
A Survey of Parents / Guardians, Students and staff after a recent Residential Workshop provides further support for the need to create this project.
100% of respondents stated that it was important or very important that all members have the opportunity to attend these events. 100% stated that it was a valuable experience.
For further Information regarding this survey see the information at the bottom of this section marked **2
In the Music Commission report published on 4th March 2019 Sir Nicholas Kenyon The Chair, of The Music Commission states: The very stimulating discussions we have had as colleagues in this Music Commission have brought forward this one specific issue, that of progression. How can we find diverse routes of exploration, offering development and music learning that is supported and nurtured both inside and outside the formal education system, in ways that reflect the energy and diversity of today’s world? One of the findings from a survey within the report states:
Lack of opportunities and cost are seen by the public as the two biggest barriers to them taking their music further.
**For more Information regarding this report see the additional Information at the bottom of this section marked **3
Our Policy and system for considering individual support.
Policy: https://www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/ensuring-inclusion-music-events
Additional Information: **1 Music Education: State of the Nation Extracts.** https://baccforthefuture.com/news/2019/new-music-education-report-state-of-the-nation-released
The report reveals that the English Baccalaureate system is negatively impacting young people from groups experiencing high levels of social deprivation. Students are discouraged from taking creative subjects in order to focus on subjects that form part of the EBacc. The Department for Education's own statistics show a fall of 17% in music GCSE since 2014/2015.
A similar picture is being played out in our primary schools where SATs are driving out creative subjects, including music.
Dr Alison Daubney, PhD Senior Teaching Fellow, University of Sussex and Mr Gary Spruce, Visiting Lecturer in Music Education, Birmingham City University said:
"Increasingly, music is marginalised in the school curriculum as the focus on accountability measures force them to make decisions which erode access to music education and diminish the workforce. In doing so, the evidence shows that music in the wider school and young people's lives beyond school is also negatively impacted. It is time the Department for Education recognise their policies are failing and they must take the necessary steps to ensure that sustained high quality music education for all is a reality and not, as is currently the case, increasingly the preserve of those families that can afford to pay for it.’
Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians In February 2019 in the report said:
"... never has there been a time when creative subjects in school has been more necessary. We are facing the fourth industrial revolution where creativity is vital. Music contributes £4.5bn a year to the UK’s economy whilst the creative industries is worth £101.5 billion. Reinforcing the gravity of the situation is Brexit. As a country we will need to deploy our soft skills more than ever and this means music and our other stand out creative industries."
**2 Results of The Workshop Weekend Residential, Survey. **
https://www.surveymonkey.com/stories/SM-56PGVXF8/
A parent recorded " My daughter chatted to others about how much practise they do and came home saying she is going to do more. She was going to stop Orchestra next year due to senior choir rehearsals at school but has come home planning to ask the Head of Music if she can miss the Friday pm choir rehearsals instead!"
"Musically learned a lot and more time to practice. Could get to know other people better too.'
"Intensive learning of pieces. Team bonding - getting to know the other players socially. Makes attending weekly rehearsals less daunting."
'Learn pieces better when practising for longer periods of time"
'Great time, felt worried before going but really enjoyed it'
100% of respondents stated it was important or very important for everyone to have the opportunity to attend. The effects of not attending the event were stated as:
"Don't learn the pieces as fast/ get behind the learning compared to those that went."
"Anyone missing from residential, impacts on the music we want to play and on other ensemble members as sometimes they have to play unfamiliar parts."
"Miss out on the rehearsal and ensemble bonding."
Shame not everyone could come as it would benefit whole ensemble.
** 3 Music Commission Report - Retuning our ambitions for music learning **
Items 4 and 5 of the 10 step plan: Outcomes for the 2020s
4. Financial support is universally available to support all music learners to progress beyond first access.
5. More collaborative models of music education are established, involving support for and between schools and relevant partners to help students to progress in music.
One of the Key Recommendations of the report.
The establishment of National Progression in Music Challenge Funds and non-statutory and philanthropic financing opportunities open to schools and local and regional partners to pioneer and evaluate new approaches to supporting progression in music and developing local and regional ensembles.
Further information from a survey mentioned in the report:
"Well-being, including personal satisfaction (58%) and fun (46%) are seen as the biggest benefits of learning music."