Welsh music company Swn is offering training, advice and practical support sessions for new and emerging songwriters and musicians.

The new scheme, entitled Barod, meaning ‘ready’ in Welsh, is an intensive programme of workshops aimed at giving artists the opportunity to take their career to the next stage.

According to the organisers, the programme will be split between How The Music Business Works, a series of eight two hour seminars delivered by CMU’s Chris Cooke and a number of separate artist development workshops.

The first Welsh Music Industry Gathering will also be a part of the initiative and take place on 7 April.

Commenting, John Rostron, co-founder of S?n Festival and the Welsh Music Prize, told the Unsigned Guide: ‘At S?n we work with hundreds of bands every year. Many ask us for help or advice and we found there were particular issues that kept coming back again and again. It was this that inspired us to create Barod.

‘We want to focus on practical training and workshops to give bands the tools they need to help their career or make their lives in a band much easier, so they can get on making music and playing shows. It’s a really exciting step for us to branch out from being promoters and festival makers into offering this new way to support music in Wales.’

Visit the Swn website to find out more.

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Taking music lessons can enhance brain development with young people, a new study has claimed.

The research undertaken at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez in Mexico City examined 23 healthy children between five and six years of age who hadn’t taken any lessons before.

The study participants underwent pre- and post-musical-training evaluation. The researchers found that undertaking music lessons helped the brain develop connections quicker.

Piliar Dies-Suarez, M.D. chief radiologist at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez in Mexico City, said: ‘It’s been known that musical instruction benefits children with these disorders.

‘but this study has given us a better understanding of exactly how the brain changes and where these new fiber connections are occurring.’

Piliar said: ‘Experiencing music at an early age can contribute to better brain development, optimizing the creation and establishment of neural networks, and stimulating the existing brain tracts.’

The scientists stated that the brain is asked to complete certain tasks when receiving musical instruction, activating different brain areas.

Researchers believe that the study results could help to create intervention strategies to treat disorders such as autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

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The English Folk Dance and Song Society is to host a series of classes, courses and workshops exploring the world of folk music.

Activities on offer include classes, courses and workshops running from January to April 2017 based on traditional English folk arts for children, young people, adults and families.

Highlights of the season include a Morris Dance histories conference on March 25 and 26 to celebrate the tradition and a lecture series examining topics from witchcraft to drink and politics in early Modern England.

The Folk Song Toolkit will also make up part of the programme, a training day for music makers and teachers to help them deliver inclusive sessions on 14 March.

A full list of classes and courses at Cecil Sharp House can be found at cecilsharphouse.org/csh-whats-on.

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The Music Publishers Association (MPA), Music Managers Forum (MMF) and MMF Training have announced details of their joint Music Publishing Professional Development Programme for 2017.

The content of the 2017 programme has been revised and updated to reflect new business opportunities across the industry.

According to organisers, ‘individuals from all sectors of the music industry who are involved or interested in any aspect of music publishing will benefit from the programme’s varied and comprehensive content. The objective is straightforward: to provide practical information placed in the context of today’s music and media industries’.

The scheme features five short modules. Each module is three hours long with detailed reference materials supplied to provide additional learning opportunities throughout.

All modules are stand alone, enabling delegates to select specific modules or attend all as required.

The dates and subjects are below:

Monday 27 February 2017: Music Publishing Relationships and Agreements

Monday 27 March 2017: Music Publishing in Audio-Visual Media: Rightsowners, Holders and Music Users

Monday 24 April 2017: Music Publishing, Recorded Music and Live Performance; Grand Rights; Royalty Tracking and Auditing

Monday 22 May 2017: Global Licensing and Royalty Streams: Digital Services and Working with International Collecting Societies

Get tickets to the seminars.

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The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and FutureLearn are coming together to offer a free four week course for all those interested in analysing copyright.

The free four week Exploring Copyright: History, Culture, Industry course will begin on 20 March and is aimed at showing how music creators have made money from their work as well as how this ecosystem has changed over recent years.

Marisa Gandelman, musician, music teacher and one time copyright lawyer, will teach the course alongside Ben Costantini, an instructor in Global Entertainment and Music Business at the Valencia Campus of Berklee College of Music.

According to FutureLearn, by the culmination of the course, participants will ‘be familiar with the concepts of copyright and authors’ rights, be able to analyse further how copyright became a powerful tool in the marketplace for artistic work’.

You will also be able to ‘build your understanding of the legal framework for the protection of creative work, comparing it to the common sense idea of artistic work as public good [as well as] propose methods to raise awareness of the legal protection system as an essential tool for building a fair trade market for creators’.

Visit the FutureLearn website to register your interest.

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International Music Summit (IMS) has announced the return of its summer camp educational programme, IMS College – Malta, to the Mediterranean island on 7-9 July.  

IMS College – Malta offers the next generation of electronic music creators and professionals the tools and knowledge to enhance their career, via a two-day, intensive learning experience.

The initiative will partner with leading music production institute Point Blank Music School, who will provide instructors, masterclasses and host and co-curate one of the days of the two-day programme.

The college aims to give a 360-degree, face-to-face learning experience, made up of panels, keynotes, networking sessions and workshops from key industry figureheads from across all sectors of the electronic music industry.

Ben Turner, IMS co-founder, said: ‘As IMS approaches its first decade, it feels right for us to put even more focus on inspiring the new generation of producers, performers and industry protagonists.

‘IMS College Malta year one was a revelation for us, a different approach to curating a summit considering the audience was so open to absorbing all forms of education and instruction about this incredible culture of music. We thank our partners and the government of Malta for seeing the value in taking such an approach to educate while we entertain.’

Sven Vath, Richey Ahmed from Hot Creations and leading French DJ Agoria will perform over the course of the event. 

Badge prices are:

€70 (£60) for two day conference and three evening events.
€25 for two day conference for Maltese residents.

Visit internationalmusicsummit.com to find out more.

Photo credit – James Alexander Chapman

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Calling all music lovers – take part in the UK’s Learn to Play Day and get a free music lesson. 

Taking place 24-25 June, Learn To Play Day is the flagship event of the charity Music for All in partnership with the Musicians’ Union, the Arts Council ‘Take It Away’ scheme and Making Music.

The aim of the initiative is to get everyone, young and old, and of different levels of experience to be inspired or return to learning to play a musical instrument.

Free music lessons will be taking place in thousands of locations across the UK. As many as 12,000 free lessons were given during the 2016 edition of the event.

The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) will welcome Lower Than Atlantis drummer, Eddy Thrower, who will be in the studio helping to teach attendees how to record a drum-kit.

Eddy said: ‘I’m so pleased to be taking part in National Learn To Play Day with ACM. Learning an instrument is an invaluable skill and helps kids across the board in their education – so to be able to work with ACM on this is fantastic.

‘I’ve been very lucky in my career so far, but it has certainly come with a lot of hard work, I’m looking forward to giving back some of the knowledge I’ve learned along the way so far in this industry.’

ACM’s Learn to Play Day is taking place on 18 June. Find out more. 

Visit learntoplayday.com to find out more.

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The Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation has issued a call for grant applications for 2017-2018 to support jazz education.

In December 2015 Ronnie Scott’s jazz club launched the initiative as a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting jazz education programmes both in the UK and overseas.

According to charity, it ‘aims to ensure that music education is accessible to every child and young person, especially those who are under-privileged, by raising and distributing funds and gifting musical instruments to organisations that create or develop youth jazz programmes’.

Previously, the Ronnie Scott’s Foundation has awarded grants to projects that include London-based Young & Gifted, The York Music Service, the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association and NYJO. Between them, they have provided dozens of young musicians, tutors, rehearsal space and the chance to collaborate through music workshops.

In June, jazz musician and educator Pete Letanka will introduce jazz to a group of young people from the Soho Parish School with the help of internationally famed drummer, Billy Cobham.

The Foundation also supports In Place of War, an organisation dedicated to empowering the world’s creative communities in places of conflict and revolution with cultural skills training and exchanges – the Foundation will shortly be sending them a mixing desk for a small space with little equipment in a Soweto township that is developing a thriving jazz community.

To apply for a grant contact Fatine Boumaaz, RSCF projects manager at fatine@ronniescotts.co.uk  or foundation@ronniescotts.co.uk

Visit foundation.ronniescotts.co.uk for more information.

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Capital XTRA’s Music Potential is to arrive in Glasgow offering free industry training, mentoring and work for young people.

Taking place on 21 and 22 June, the initiative will offer participants training from a wide array of industry professionals on songwriting and performance, music business, audio production and radio production.

Confirmed workshop leaders for 2017 include Stina Tweeddale (Honeyblood), Becci Wallace (University of the West of Scotland), Steg G (Sunny Govan), Tam Coyle (Miobabig Music Consultancy/DJ) and Dominic Martin (Glasgow DJ Academy), with many more still to be announced.

Robert Kilpatrick, projects and operations manager, Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said: ‘Everyone in Scotland should be given access and opportunities to be involved in music and the arts, and thanks to Capital XTRA, this project will provide valuable industry training for over 120 young people at no personal cost.

‘Participants will be equipped with the skills required to meet the gaps and development needs of Scotland’s music industry at present, giving them the best possible chance of future employment.’

Capital XTRA’s Music Potential Glasgow kicks off with two taster days for 120 young people on 21 and 22 June at citizenM Glasgow.

Registrations are now open via the Capital XTRA website and close on 12 June.

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The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) has launched the first ever Skunk Anansie scholarship offering a recipient £27,000 of funding for a degree course.

All applicants to have successfully auditioned and enrolled for degrees in bass, drums, guitars, keys or vocals at either ACM Guildford, ACM London or the group’s newest campus, ACM Birmingham, will be eligible to apply.

Those applying will need to submit a video performance for screening by ACM with a shortlist delivered to Skunk Anansie for a final decision.

Guitarist Ace works at ACM as its head of Creative Industry Development and drummer, Mark Richardson, is a well-being coach for the academy’s students.

Commenting, Ace said: ‘I’ve been honoured to be working with ACM for a very long time now, booking top industry guests, sourcing real world work opportunities, setting up networking events and advising students on a one-to-one basis.

‘For three months of the year I pause my work on-campus so that I can tour with the band – bringing back the freshest knowledge directly from the industry back to the students. The music business has been very good to us over the years and it feels incredible to give back and make someone’s dream of studying music a reality.’

Skunk Anansie vocalist Skin added: ‘We are so excited to be able to offer such a life changing opportunity in partnership with ACM. Starting out in music can be tough financially, so being able to take away that burden for someone who is at the very beginning of their journey is incredibly rewarding. We love the fully immersive experience that ACM offers its students and are so excited to see the shortlist.’

Applications are still open for September 2017 study at ACM Guildford, ACM London and ACM Birmingham.

Visit acm.ac.uk/scholarships for more information and to apply for the new scholarship.

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A new contemporary music and events hub in Nottingham city centre, which will offer world class recording studios and education facilities, is currently in the works.

Development is underway at a huge 38,500 sq. foot site on Huntingdon Street site, which will soon house the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies.

The new Confetti hub, which has been financed by parent company Nottingham Trent University, will feature cutting edge music studios, rehearsal rooms, recording and editing suites and a 300-capacity auditorium.

Parts of the development will be ready for students by October.

Craig Chettle, founder and chief executive of specialist technology education provider Confetti, told the Nottingham Post: ‘Our role is all about harnessing talent and creating the best opportunities for success.

‘We have always re-invested in our facilities to stay current but this development takes our provision for music and events to another level.

‘It makes Nottingham a “must go to” destination for contemporary music education. Students learning the nuts and bolts of the music and events industries will be guaranteed the best possible learning opportunities and will acquire the skills required by the industries they want to work in.’

confetti.ac.uk

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“We are facing a perfect storm that has seen a drastic drop in music in schools and a huge increase in the number of small music venues that have been forced to close down”.

UK Music chief executive Michael Dugher has warned the industry faced a “perfect storm” due to cuts to music in schools and the closure of hundreds of small music venues.

In his first keynote speech as the new head of UK Music, Mr Dugher told the Musicians’ Union conference in Brighton, that the music business now faced an “existential crisis”.

He highlighted two major threats that he warned were putting at risk the £4.1 billion that the music industry generates for the UK’s economy.

Music education

The first challenge being the sharp decline in music provision in schools following the introduction of the English Baccalaureate in 2010 as a performance measure.   Creative subjects such as music are excluded from the EBacc. According to the latest figures from the University of Sussex, 59.7% of state schools said the EBacc has had a negative impact on music provision and uptake.

A fifth of schools did not offer GCSE Music at the start of the 2016/17 academic year.  Of those schools that did offer Music GCSE, 11% are taught outside curriculum time, according to the University of Sussex figures. Beyond GCSEs, the number of schools offering pupils a chance to study BTEC Music Level 2 has declined by 70% over four years.

Decline in music venues

The second major threat to the music industry is the steep decline in smaller and grassroots music venues.  A total of 35% have shut down in the past decade.

The danger to small and grassroots venues is laid bare in UK Music’s Wish You Were Here 2017 report, released earlier this month. Those figures showed a 13% drop in the level of direct spending at smaller music venues   – those with capacity of under 1,500 – in 2016 and a 21% fall in the number of overseas visitors to smaller venues.

Commenting, Mr Dugher said: “The combination of these threats has left the UK music industry facing an existential threat.  This grim reality potentially puts in jeopardy the UK’s ability in the future to generate breakthrough artists that are one of the keys to sustaining Britain’s £4.1 billion music industry. It is vital that we rise to this challenge and fight to keep music alive in our schools and battle to save all those music venues that are currently in danger.”

Mr Dugher called for more help from the Government and local authorities, urging planning authorities to support UK Music’s campaign to get the “agent of change” principle on the statute book.   The principle would help smaller venues because it would put pressure on developers to take account of existing music venues when submitting plans for new housing and other schemes.

Mr Dugher also called on the Government to reform business rates which have sent costs soaring at many music venues.

Find out more about the Wish You Were Here report.

UK Music

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BBC Introducing has announced a new, unique music event to celebrate its 10^th anniversary.

With hundreds of DJs, artists, musicians and industry experts showing you how to make a living from making music, Amplify will be providing a platform to connect with the biggest industry names via workshops, talks and one-on-ones, all aimed at getting out there and even taking your own music to the next level.

Whether a musician, future industry heavyweight or simply a music fan, Amplify offers masterclasses, advice and the equipment needed to make it big in the music business.

Devised by the leading events company, SME London, in conjunction with BBC Music Introducing, Amplify will feature more than 250 industry speakers including: The Libertines, Blossoms, The Courteeners, Hurts, Frank Carter, Becky Hill, Bugzy Malone, Creeper, The Hunna, Ray BLK, Annie Mac, Jo Whiley, Steve Lamacq, Annie Nightingale, Huw Stephens, MistaJam, Jamie Cullum, Phil Taggart, Bob Harris, Danny Howard, Tom Robinson, DJ Target, Twin B, Monki, Abbie Mcarthy, Sophie Little, Georgie Rogers and Yasser – plus record labels, heads of music, radio stations, producers, commissioners and more.

PRS for Music and PPL will also be hosting sessions during Amplify, details to be announced soon.

Radio 2 DJ, Jo Whiley said: “As anyone who has listened to my shows on Radio 1 or Radio 2 knows, I am passionate about giving up-and-coming musicians the chance to get heard and break into the mainstream.  From a 19-year-old Adele doing her first performances, to seeing Coldplay taking their initial steps towards superstardom and the emergence of Biffy Clyro, I feel privileged to have been at the beginning of so many journeys. Amplify is going to give countless bands from around the country their chance to do this and make their music heard. I am so excited about being a part of it and discovering brand new talent at Amplify.”

BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra DJ, MistaJam added: “For the last decade, BBC Introducing has been unparalleled when it comes to supporting unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians and artists. It’s an honour and a privilege to be part of the Amplify event to help invest in the next generation of artists and music industry professionals.” 

Sessions across the three days will include:

How to write a hit record

How to get a million streams

Grime is the new DIY

A guide to self releasing music

From your bedroom to Ibiza

Do you need a manager?

Bad online? How to be good at social media

How to run a label

The A&R Masterclass

Heads of Label masterclass

Amplify will also include a new BBC Music Introducing Feedback Centre, performances on the Introducing Bandstands, more than 150 music and lifestyle brands, and a vinyl marketplace hosted by the team behind Record Store Day.

The full line-up of sessions can be seen at: https://introducingamplify.com/programme.

Tickets are on sale now with a limited amount of first release tickets at £26 available. Tickets can be purchased from http://www.theticketfactory.com/bbc-music-introducing/online/ or https://introducingamplify.com/tickets. Anyone booking tickets will get 25% off train tickets to the event with Virgin Trains on the West Coast mainline.

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BBC Music Introducing has announced a list of new partners and sponsors taking part in Amplify – a must-attend event for music obsessives which coincides with the platform’s 10th anniversary.

New partners and sponsors include PRS for Music, Musicians’ Union, AIM and PPL who will all offer unique insight, support and advice to aspiring musicians.

As M Magazine previously reported, hundreds of DJs, artists, musicians and industry experts are taking part in the two-day extravaganza which aims to show you how to make a living from making music and will connect attendees with the biggest industry names via workshops, talks and one-on-ones.

Andy Ellis, senior manager for education and outreach at PRS for Music said: ‘It’s clear that everybody involved in this event – from artists like Becky Hill and Frank Carter to DJs like MistaJam and Annie Mac – cares about helping new music creators take their next steps.

‘PRS for Music is proud to be an organisation that supports songwriters, composers, producers and music publishers, not just by ensuring they get rightfully paid for their work, but also by offering advice and support – and it will be a pleasure to do so while celebrating both 10 years of BBC Introducing and the first year of Amplify.’

Amplify will feature more than 250 industry speakers including The Libertines, Blossoms, The Courteeners, Hurts, Frank Carter, Becky Hill, Bugzy Malone, Creeper, The Hunna, Ray BLK, Annie Mac, Jo Whiley, Steve Lamacq, Annie Nightingale, Huw Stephens, MistaJam, Jamie Cullum, Phil Taggart, Bob Harris, Danny Howard, Tom Robinson, DJ Target, Twin B, Monki, Abbie Mcarthy, Sophie Little, Georgie Rogers and Yasser – plus record labels, heads of music, radio stations, producers, commissioners and more.

The full line-up of sessions can be found on the Amplify website.

Tickets are on sale now, with a limited amount of first release tickets at £26 available here.

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Charity record label NMC Recordings has launched a series of initiatives to assist the development of emerging talent, including a remix app and an interactive music map.

Pupils and teachers will be able to access the resources, which NMC hopes will bring ‘contemporary classical music to the classroom’.

R:strng is a free app featuring a remix of Kate Whitley’s music by Olugbenga Adelekan of Metronomy which allows students to create their own remixes and submit them to be featured on NMC’s website.

Other materials include help with GCSE composition and the NMC Music Map – an online educational tool that helps students to discover more about the classical music of today.

Speaking about the new resources, NMC said in a press release: ‘Young people are our future composers, performers, critics, and listeners and it is important in these challenging times for music education that we are creative with the resources we have, and find ways to support schools, music hubs, and outreach programmes in making music available to everyone’.

NMC founder and executive producer Colin Matthews recently received the Special Achievement Gramophone Award at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2017 for his unique contribution to British contemporary music.

Sir Mark Elder, music director of the Hallé, paid tribute with a speech that praised Matthews’ achievements and championed the resources as a ‘wonderful idea’.

Read our Colin Matthews interview here >

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The academic director of Trinity College London has called for better music education in UK schools, describing the lack of emphasis on the arts and creativity as ‘shocking’.

Appearing at a Westminster Media Forum on the global music market last week, Nick Beach said: ‘We need to get better at music education if we’re going to help children and young people become the creative workforce in the future.’

‘The drop in numbers for GCSE music is a long-term trend and we should perhaps ask about whether that qualification is actually providing the needs of the future workforce.’

Proposing better qualifications and teacher training as the solution to supporting improvements, he added: ‘There’s currently no teaching quality standard. We still rely on the well-meaning, somewhat amateur approach to music education, where anyone can call themselves a music teacher.’

‘Almost every other professional service is regulated or regulates itself. If the music education sector is going to meet the needs of employers in post-Brexit Britain, perhaps this is one of the things we should consider focusing on.’

Beach was speaking on a panel titled, Key Brexit challenges and opportunities, and the sector’s role in the UK’s Industrial Strategy: skills, trade and attracting inward investment.

Also focusing on the need for better music education was Henry Vann, head of external affairs at the Incorporated Society of Musicians.

Referring to the UK’s new industrial strategy, which set out the government’s plan to boost earning power and address long-term challenges to the economy, Vann said: ‘It’s 250 pages long and there are 656 words on the creative industries sector deal.

‘We must get our education system right, so that the creative industry – worth £128.4bn by 2025 – can continue to thrive.

‘Our education system currently works against music and other creative subjects. Two days ago in Coopers’ Company and Coborn School in London, a petition kicked off because Media, Drama and Design and Technology were taken off the A-Level curriculum from September 2018, cutting off a route into higher education from those pupils.

‘Another school which I’m not going to name because we’re trying to get them to change their policy, is now charging pupils £5 a week to study GCSE Music as an extra-curricular activity.

‘If the industrial strategy is to be relevant, it must say something about protecting creative subjects in our schools so we can fill our sector with homegrown talent and open up opportunity, diversity and inclusion for all; not just those who can afford it.’

Joining the discussion, shadow minister for digital, culture, media and sport, Kevin Brannan MP, suggested schools who charge pupils to study creative subjects should be ‘named and shamed.’

Other speakers on the panel included Cooking Vinyl’s Martin Goldschmidt, and Lucie Caswell and musician Roxanne de Bastion from the Featured Artists Coalition.

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China, artificial intelligence (AI) and music education are among the key topics to be explored at this year’s Great Escape conference 2018.

Taking place in Brighton from 17-19 May, the event is one of the biggest in the calendar for the UK music industry and beyond.

Aimed at industry professionals and those aspiring to further develop their careers in the music business, the convention will feature a range of experts debating the key points on each topic and begins the day before the festival kicks off.

The education conference on 16 May will create a new manifesto for music education in the UK and beyond, with speakers from British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM), Featured Artists Coalition and Urban Development.

The AI conference on 17 May will showcase and assess the new technologies set to impact on the music industry in the next decade, while the China conference on 20 May will set out to provide ‘a comprehensive guide to one of the most important emerging markets.’

Elsewhere, there will be practical tips for future music talent as well as the return of the high profile TGE: IN-CONVERSATION programme which will host one-on-one interviews with legendary artists and music industry leaders.

The first in this series is with Willard Ahdritz, founder and chief executive officer of Kobalt Music, who will discuss the challenges for artists and songwriters looking to maximise the value of their music rights.

Rory Bett, chief executive officer at MAMA, which puts on the festival, said: ‘The programme we present for industry delegates at The Great Escape always breaks new ground, repeatedly putting the spotlight on the challenges and opportunities that will then dominate the conversation in the music industry in the year ahead.

‘This year we’ll consider the future of music education, demo and discuss the new technologies that will drive the next phase of the industry’s development and provide an insider’s guide to China, the emerging market which is becoming increasingly key for all of us in the music business.

‘I’m also excited about the return of our TGE: IN-CONVERSATIONS programme, where we will be inviting some of the key players in the music industry to share both their journey so far and their thoughts for the future.’

Artists and bands looking to play at this year’s TGE can apply here.

For tickets to the festival and convention, visit the Greate Escape website.

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Calling all aspiring music managers from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds – applications are now open for the Richard Antwi (below) Scholarship.

The scheme provides full support to a student attending the MA in Music Business Management course at the University of Westminster, London.

It covers tuition fees for the 2018/2019 academic year, plus a contribution to living costs and the opportunity to undertake valuable industry work experience.

It’s aimed at applicants from the BAME community who are in financial need.  The successful applicant doesn’t need to be a graduate, however a passion for music and an entrepreneurial spirit is a must.

The scholarship was established in memory of late music manager and lawyer Antwi who passed away in 2016 aged just 38.

Antwi was a groundbreaking music entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in the careers of Wretch 32, Lethal Bizzle, Wiley and Tinie Tempah.

The scheme is supported by Island Records, XL Recordings, Universal, Sony Music, Warners, Sony/ATV and Clintons law firm.

For more info, see https://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships/richard-antwi-scholarship. The deadline to apply is 31 May 2018.

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BBC Ten Pieces and composer Kerry Andrew have teamed up on a new project to encourage school children around the UK to create their own version of her work, No Place Like.

The No Place Like Challenge, which forms part of the BBC’s Biggest Festival celebrations, is inviting schools to hold Ten Pieces assemblies based on their pupils’ interpretations of the piece.

Participants are invited to reflect their local environment in their projects, in keeping with the regionalised activity planned for the Biggest Weekend. To date, more than 28,000 children are registered to participate in the challenge.

Andrew said: ‘I am honoured to have been asked to create a piece for the BBC Ten Pieces and am delighted that No Place Like continues to inspire children across the UK to get creative with classical music. I can’t wait to hear the unique interpretations of my piece that come out of the challenge!’

The BBC’s Ten Pieces initiative provides a gateway to classical music for children aged seven to 14, and has so far reached over four million people across the UK.

To coincide with the launch of the No Place Like Challenge, Ten Pieces has devised online assets to support in-school workshops based on the piece. For more info, please see www.bbc.co.uk/tenpieces

The Biggest Weekend takes place across four cities in four days, with Belfast, Coventry, Perth and Swansea all hosting live music from 25 to 28 May.

For more info on the line-up, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2lRg7Krtz7mv1ZS0xc34JFJ/about-the-biggest-weekend

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National charity Youth Music has created the Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England to transform music education around the country.

A collective of music organisations have come together to promote diversity and cultural democracy in music education, and support the next generation of musicians.

The alliance will challenge policymakers, education providers and arts organisations to ensure that all children and young people can access music-making which is suitable for their needs and relevant to their interests.

This means diversifying the genres of music on offer, giving young people ownership of their musical learning, removing the structural barriers which prevent participation, and forming strong links locally, nationally and with the music industry to support future generations of musicians.

The 13 partners in the alliance have received funding from Youth Music to deliver a range of activities, working locally to support the progression of young people from all backgrounds – particularly those who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity.

In the North East, funding will be provided to support young people to run their own music projects to create social change.

In the South East, new community-based music spaces will be created for, by, and with young people living in areas of economic deprivation.

In the North West, young people from all backgrounds will learn from professionals working in a diversity of styles including rap and electronic music – genres which are often neglected in mainstream music education.

And five alliance partners will work together on a national initiative supporting disabled young musicians to directly shape the music industry around their needs, with support from music industry and higher education partners.

These programmes will be underpinned by a strong workforce development element, designed to ensure that the music-making activities on offer for children and young people are of the highest quality.

Future activity will also include supporting all Music Education Hubs to develop their music-making practice to become more inclusive.

Matt Griffiths, chief executive of Youth Music, said: ‘Inclusion is central to everything we do. The Alliance will work with the wider music education sector, extending the reach of musically inclusive practice and driving change.

‘We have a strong evidence base which demonstrates the wide ranging social benefits of music, and we want that to be at the heart of music education practice. We hope that, with our influence, music education of the future will look very different.’

Songwriter, saxophonist and new Youth Music chair YolanDa Brown recently shared the songs that have shaped her life. Tune in here.

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