‘Making Music Matter: Music Education Strategy for London 2010-2012′

The fund will offer seed money for partnerships between local authority music services and orchestras in the capital, so that more young Londoners, irrespective of background, can learn to play orchestral instruments, experience working with professional musicians and have access to a wider range of musical traditions, including classical, jazz, folk and world music.

The Mayor said: ‘The ability to play an instrument is one of the most wonderful things in life, whether for pleasure or because you have professional ambitions. In a country that has given so much great talent to the world, we want to ensure a future Lloyd-Webber, the next Elton John, or nascent Lily Allen do not miss their chance to add to the illustrious musical canon that we have produced.’

The Mayor believes that there are too many short-term, one off initiatives in schools and music is often squeezed off the curriculum. And whilst early and free access to music is generally quite good in the capital, access to ongoing and affordable tuition is much more patchy. This means that if parents cannot afford to pay, their children cannot develop their talent. Local authorities are under increasing financial pressures too.

The Mayor continued: ‘This two year-programme is about celebrating and strengthening music education in London. We will encourage long-term, sustainable partnerships and a focus on excellence.’

Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a 24 year old composer, jazz vocalist, cellist and pianist, who took part in the London Symphony Orchestra’s Panufnik Young Composers Scheme and has been Emerging Artist in Residence (EAR) at London’s Southbank Centre, already has a reputation as a musician to watch. In September 2009 she commenced further studies in composition at the Manhattan School of Music and will be working with Serious this summer when she will lead a participation week at Wigmore Hall for 8-13 year old aspiring songwriters, composers, instrumentalists and singers.

Ayanna said: ‘Learning to play an instrument is for me is a daily discovery of my creativity, emotions and my relationship with my environment and others around me. It is a journey that provides me with the discipline to explore ideas and experience the satisfaction of working towards and achieving my goals.

‘Everyone should be given the opportunity to learn an instrument so that they too may imagine a better world and acquire the skills to create and contribute to it. It is also a lifelong journey that can grow according to your pace and participation. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It gives a freedom of expression that reflects our unique qualities and serves to provide a place where we are all welcome. ‘

The Mayor’s Music Education Strategy encompasses several programmes introduced by the Mayor. This includes encouraging people to donate unused instruments under a musical instrument amnesty scheme in 2009, Rhythm of London, which saw over 100 participatory musical events throughout the city in 2009 and the Rhythm of London busking scheme, which involved young musicians playing at Tube stations to win musical instruments and a year’s licence for a coveted TfL busking slot. Details of this year’s Rhythm of London (17-24 April) and the busking scheme will be announced shortly.

The plan also includes the Rhythm of London Handbook and website, first launched in 2009, which will be updated on a regular basis, offering information about musical opportunities for young people, teachers, and the general public. In the longer term, the aim is to integrate with other websites and advisory services, to ensure teachers and schools have clearer, more comprehensive information.

The GLA will be working in partnership with other organisations to develop events and publications for teachers throughout 2010-2012 to support teacher development. The plan will also see an audit of music education provision, analysing trends and gaps across boroughs, age profiles, demographics, and types of funding that are available.

Mark Pemberton, Director, Association of British Orchestras said: ‘The ABO is delighted to support the scheme. Orchestras already work in partnership with schools across the capital, and we look forward to working with the Mayor to extend the reach to every child served by a local music service that wants to grasp the opportunity of working with our finest musicians.’

The GLA’s Music Education Programme is steered by a board comprising representatives and experts from the music education sector and chaired by Karen Brock, Head of Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service and Music Education Council, who said: ‘We welcome the initiatives being proposed and are delighted that the Mayor’s Music Education Fund is seeking to strengthen and deepen the partnerships between music services in the London boroughs and the orchestral and professional sector whilst inspiring more young musicians to make and enjoy their music making across the capital.’

Sir Nicholas Kenyon, Managing Director, Barbican Centre said: ‘The GLA’s initiative in coordinating, highlighting and enhancing London’s great music education offer is really welcome. Our work across the Barbican, Guildhall School and London Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Music Services is enabling young people to realise their talent, and develop a lifelong love of all kinds of music.’

Chief Executive of Southbank Centre, Alan Bishop said: ‘Last year, 60,000 people flocked to the Royal Festival Hall to hear the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, including 4,000 school children who were thrilled by their extraordinary demonstration of what music education can be.

‘We believe in the power of music to give opportunity, and through initiatives such as In Harmony, which brings the joy of learning an instrument to young people in some of the most deprived areas of Lambeth, Southbank Centre tried to help bring music to everyone.’

Moira Sinclair, Executive Director London, Arts Council England added: ‘Arts Council England believes that every child and young person should have high quality music in their life and we are delighted to share the Mayor’s commitment to making this happen. Many of the arts organisations we fund are doing extraordinary work in this area, and we look forward to helping to link their work to that of other partners and for the benefit of young audiences and musicians across the capital.’

London Metropolitan University

The Mayor of London and London Metropolitan University have joined forces to host an event and launch a report which look at methods used in New York and London to fight childhood obesity.

The event will draw on research in ‘ObesCities’ a new report by the London Metropolitan University and City University of New York, which details flab fighting initiatives used in both cities. Guests will also discuss ways the Mayor’s Health Inequalities Strategy can promote healthier lifestyles and make it easier for children and families in London to make better choices.

The seminar will open with a presentation from the authors of the report and an expert panel will offer their thoughts on what more London can do. Guest speakers will include Rosie Boycott, Chair of London Food, who will discuss the need for more sustainable food growth to promote healthy food choices and local food growing projects. Pamela Chesters, the Mayoral adviser on Health and Youth Opportunities will discuss ways the Mayor’s office can challenge food providers to offer a better range of appetising menus.

Mayor Johnson

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has welcomed the approval of the first Mayoral education Academy at Turin Grove School in Edmonton, which is set to open in September 2010.

The Academy has been given the green light following the signing of the Expressions of Interest by the Secretary of State for Schools, Children and Families (DCSF).

Mayor Boris Johnson said: ‘Every child in London deserves a good education, which is why I’m developing Mayoral Academies to support struggling schools. When Turin Grove opens its doors next September, I want students to feel both challenged and supported to be the best that they can be. They will be able to take full advantage of the strong educational and vocational opportunities on offer. Pupils should hold their heads high and be confident they are part of an exciting new school which their community can be proud of.’

Turin Grove School in Edmonton will be sponsored under a unique partnership between the Mayor’s London Development Agency (LDA) and the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET). This is the first in a series of planned Mayoral Academies, which aims to combine the reach of the LDA with the proven expertise of an education specialist such as AET, to offer local authorities and the DCSF innovative solutions to improve struggling schools.

The London Development Agency’s Deputy Chief Executive and Group Director of Jobs, Skills and Youth, Sarah Ebanja said: ‘The LDA is delighted that its pioneering collaboration with AET, has been selected by the London Borough of Enfield to work with Turin Grove School in Edmonton, to become the first of the Mayor’s Academies. This means that the school’s pupils, neighbourhood and the wider community will benefit from the skills, training and community learning hubs that this ground-breaking academy will provide.’

David Triggs, Chief Executive of the Academies Enterprise Trust, said, ‘We are committed to doing everything we can, working in partnership with the Mayor and the LDA, to ensure that young people are able to compete on the world stage with the skills, confidence and flair to generate new ideas, new initiatives and thereby make a full contribution to tomorrow’s world.’

From April 2010, local authorities across the capital will take on powers from the Learning and Skills Council to commission education for 16-19 year olds. Councils are already responsible for the education for children up to the age of 16.

A London-wide organisation called the 14-19 Regional Planning Group is being set up to oversee all the commissioning. Its role will be to support boroughs, resolve any issues which arise and lobby the government for enough resources.

The 14-19 Regional Planning Group will be based at London Councils and be chaired by Cllr Nick Stanton, London Councils’ executive member for children and young people.

At a meeting of London Councils’ Leaders’ Committee today, all London borough council leaders agreed the constitution for the Regional Planning Group. This includes the membership of the group and the rules by which it will abide. Each year, the committee will agree the group’s business plan and budget.

“London is taking a very innovative approach to ensuring that by 2015, every young person in the capital chooses to stay in education or training until the age of 19,” said Cllr Stanton.

“The work of the group will also be used as a blueprint – not just for the 14-19 agenda but to show how local authorities can work together to improve the delivery of vital services for their communities.

“Local authorities will work closely with colleges and sixth forms to provide courses which will equip young people with the skills needed to boost London’s economy.

“The 14-19 Regional Planning Group will have the powers it needs to lead London-wide efforts to offer young people a wider choice of courses and apprenticeships, while being accountable to boroughs.”

September will see 400 new or refurbished schools opening their doors for a new term – including the new City Academy in Hackney which the Prime Minister opened this morning.

These schools make up part of the almost 4000 schools built, rebuilt or refurbished by Labour since 1997 – the biggest sustained period of school building for decades.

Ed Balls also announced changes to the Academies system – dropping the £2m sponsorship requirement to allow more schools to benefit from a wider range of sponsors.

Labour’s Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, said:

“We’ve swept away the historic legacy of under-funded and under-resourced schools thanks to our sustained, record capital investment programme over the last decade.

“A world-class education system needs world-class facilities – that’s exactly what we are delivering. This is the largest sustained capital investment in schools for decades – giving parents, teachers and pupils outstanding classroom, music and sports facilities; transforming their aspirations; and driving up standards.

”Schools in England have had the biggest sustained investment in facilities for decades – with an eightfold real terms rise between 1997 and 2011 alone. Around 4,000 schools and tens of thousands of classrooms have been newly built, rebuilt or largely refurbished thanks to our £53 billion of capital investment over the last 12 years.

“There are now 121 BSF schools open, with the first Primary Capital Programme schools open this term on top of a decade of local authority-run building projects and the expanding Academy programme – and we are committed to rebuilding or refurbishing the entire secondary school estate and half of all primary schools.”