Do schoolchildren need to learn music?

I think that music should be taught in the school curriculum because it gives children a wider knowledge of the music world. It is a fun learning experience and should be taught to children until a certain age. Should they like to take a particular instrument to play, this would be inspired by the music lessons at school. Music is known to keep the other half of the brain working as well as the academic side. Zoe Lee, Maidstone

Of course children should learn music in schools. Both sport and music are useful subjects, but sport is only being promoted so much because the Government is trying to kick out obesity in young children. Banning music is out of the question; children need a chance to express something of a creative outlook. It’s also an enjoyable, and relaxing subject that most children enjoy, if not more than their physical education lessons. The lessons give students a chance to express themselves without worrying what other pupils think, have some fun during school and experiment with instruments that they probably wouldn’t be able to use were there not music lessons in school. It also give children a chance to get a GCSE, which can be used in the future. It’s also a subject that most creative children would enjoy more than sports. Amelia Vickery, Maidstone

‘Learning music’ teaches children a lot more than learning to play. It teaches them teamwork, the importance of regular practice. It also teaches punctuality, self confidence and the reliance of others on them. My own children were dressed in second hand clothes in order that money could be spent on private music lessons. Now in their 30s, they don’t remember where their clothes came from but they are all still actively involved in making music. Anne Brown, Christchurch

Music is more than just lessons. In the 70’s, my English school had two choirs, an orchestra, a brass ensemble, a jazz group; if anyone was interested in setting anything up, the will was there within the school to help. Now my children, in a Wales supposedly besotted with music, and a school twice the size of mine, has a choir and that’s it. Music is more than a skill, it’s teamwork, discipline, focus; but also the joy of working together in rehearsal and moving to performance. Alison Smith, Colwyn Bay

Music is a wonderful way of bringing people together, of increasing discipline and concentration and of giving children a pleasure which will stick with them for life. So of course the Government, which is only interested in targets, exams, knowledge-stuffing and short-term populism (i.e. sport) would drop it as soon as possible. How typically short-sighted. Paul Keeling, Welling

I had thirty years in charge of music in schools. Two observations among many I could make: 1. If properly organised there is no reason why sport and music should not be happily compatible in the timetable. The best basses and tenors for me were nearly always the rugby players. 2. Music is the only cross-generational and cross-gender ‘team’ activity on a daily basis in school - it can incorporate girls and boys of all ages, all abilities. And in my experience more go on to practise music when they have left school than go on with sport, and needless to say to a greater age! Philip Tyack, Nans les Pins, Provence

There is a difference between offering instrumental tuition to “every” primary school child and offering it to those who show aptitude, enthusiasm and the willingness to practise daily. The latter will form a statistical minority who could easily be supported by grants where parents cannot afford tuition. Edmund Burke, Kingston upon Thames

Yes, school children do need to learn music. And the Music Manifesto has already made a significant contribution to this area over the past two years. There are now well over 500 signatories, many have made and delivered on pledges, improving the quality of music education. Working together, far more has been achieved than would have been possible working alone. As part of its commitment to the Music Manifesto, the Government is continuing to support Music Services with the Music Standards Fund to the tune of £60m each year. £2m has been made available specifically for the purchase of musical instruments. A further £2m has been earmarked for the training of teachers and musicians so that our young people can benefit from a world class workforce. An additional £26m has been made available over the next two years so that over time every child really can have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, for a sustained period of time, from a specialist tutor. Post 2008, the situation is, like all other funded programmes, subject to review. If schools are choosing to spend this money for purposes other than those for which it was intended perhaps the parents of the children in those schools need to be asking the head teacher and governors why this is. If local authorities are reducing their contributions to music services, perhaps the same parents should address their questions to their local politicians. Some local authorities have actually increased the amount they give their music services. Richard Hallam, Milton Keynes

When I read about cash-starved, insolvent orchestras and opera companies, and then hear that the illustrious Government has been pumping money into the fomenting of ‘hip-hop’ and ‘urban sounds’ (enlightenment required on what these strange noises might be) among the younger generations, I see red. Perhaps the Music Manifesto should be directed where it is needed, to financially shore up those who dedicate long and arduous hours to the creation of real music, and to foster appreciation of the latter among a population which sadly treats the latter as elitist. Mike Bent, Oviedo

Goodness, that didn’t last long, did it? It’s only 2006 so the children who started in 2004 would just be getting good enough now to play in groups, orchestras, ensembles - in other words, at the point where music gets interesting. Just the moment to cut funding, then! While I acknowledge that kids need to do sport too, the government should have thought of that when they sold off all those school fields which offered easy access to team games and athletics. I don’t see why a sudden interest in sport should be detrimental to music funding. There should be both. If money was stopped being wasted in so many stupid schemes there would be no problem funding these excellent initiatives. Children need to flourish in their souls through music as well as in their bodies through sport. Sarah Hague, Montpellier

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