Endangered Species
Evaluation
Phase 2 Report
Artservice
May 2004 - October 2005
Old Court
Winforton
Hereford
HR3 6EA
Tel: 01544 327877
Fax: 01544 327772
e-mail:artserv@kc3.co.uk
www.artservice.org.uk
CONTENTS
Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.
INTRODUCTION
6
2.
CASE STUDY SUMMARY
11
3.
RESEARCH FINDINGS
20
4.
PROTECTED SPECIES
38
5.
CONCLUSIONS
40
6.
RECOMMENDATIONS
49
APPENDICES
I
Consultation List
II
Case Study Reports
III
Instrument Purchase and Age Group Balance
IV
Analysis of Survey Returns
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this evaluation and given their time, including
Youth Music and Music Service staff and all those who assisted with the three case studies.
In
particular thanks are due to: Rebecca Coulthard, Fundraising and Project Support Officer, Kirklees
Music School; Yogesh Dattani, Head of Service and Carolyn Sewell, Woodwind and Brass Co-ordinator,
Ealing Music Service; Philip Shaw, County Adviser for Music and Head of Suffolk County Music Service;
Sally Stote, Director of Operations, Youth Music; Ben Cole, Principal Officer, Policy and Programmes
Department, Youth Music; and Ibrahim Taguri, Executive Officer, Fundraising and Development
Department, Youth Music.
Front cover: students from the Hammersmith and Fulham Endangered Species programme playing at
the programme launch in partnership with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Royal Academy of Music.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.
The Endangered Species programme was designed specifically for Music Services to
help them tackle the problem of falling numbers of young people taking up and
continuing to play the following instruments: bassoon; oboe; French horn; trombone;
tuba (including the euphonium); baritone horn; and double bass. Evidence from three
previous Youth Music programmes and the 2002 Department for Education and Skills
(DfES) survey of instrumental Music Services 1, had highlighted this problem.
2.
This Phase 2 evaluation report of the Endangered Species programme analyses the
effectiveness of the implementation of the programme and its impact on Music
Services, the young people and others involved.
The report is based on three
elements of research: a postal survey of all Music Services taking part with some
telephone consultation linked to the survey; case studies of three Services; and
analysis of Youth Music programme information.
3.
The report concludes that Endangered Species has been an outstanding success
with around 450,000 children and young people having an experience of Endangered
Species instruments; 28,000 having the chance to try out playing the instruments;
and around 5,000 children and young people continuing to develop skills, an average
of 56 per Service. 25% of the children taking part were aged 5 to 7 with 47% aged 8
to 11 and 28% in the secondary age group 12 to 18. Overall around 15% of the
children and young people were from non-White ethnic minority groups. In some
areas (e.g. Haringey and Nottingham) around 50% were from non-White categories.
Over 24,000 parents and carers were also involved.
4.
The Music Services in receipt of awards had intended, between them, to provide an
experience of the instruments (e.g. hearing them being played) to 243,355 children; it
was planned that 30,814 would have an experience of playing them (through a taster
session for instance); and 2,369 would have the opportunity to develop playing skills
(though ongoing tuition).
5.
The programme has exceeded expectations, providing an experience of Endangered
Species instruments to almost double the planned number. The figure of 28,267
children having an experience of playing an Endangered Species instrument is
slightly lower than the estimated 30,814 (this is probably due to delayed instrument
delivery and late starts) but more than twice the number of children planned have had
the opportunity to develop skills on an Endangered Species instrument.
Survey of Local Education Authorities’ Music Services 2002, Susan Hallam and Lynne Rogers
(Institute of Education, University of London, 2002)
1
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6.
The success of the programme was despite the considerable problems which arose
over instrument supply (particularly tubas and bassoons) which delayed the
implementation of a number of programmes and caused disruption to the plans of
some Services. In the main Services which had been affected by delivery problems
simply postponed programmes or changed their plans to enable them to progress.
As a result, a number of Services are still at a relatively early stage of
implementation.
7.
Independent Services (e.g. Richmond and Kirklees) mentioned the impact of VAT on
their instrument purchasing. As they were unable to reclaim VAT on purchases they
either had to contribute a higher percentage of total costs or reduce the level of
purchases.
8.
The programme has delivered against Youth Music’s aims and the aims and
objectives of the programme, particularly in promoting Endangered Species
instruments to many more children and young people and encouraging more to try
and take up the instruments. It has widened access, involving large numbers of
young people from ethnic minority backgrounds and reaching children who would not
otherwise have had the opportunity to play such an instrument.
9.
The programme has provided valuable support for a key strand of Music Service
programme development and influenced the ways in which some Services work,
particularly with regard to introducing instruments to young players and encouraging
them to continue to learn. It has improved the playing experience for many young
people and encouraged them to progress with the instruments; and has resulted in
some exciting partnerships with orchestras, music education bodies and a variety of
other agencies, raising the profile of their work and bringing new energies and ideas
into instrumental teaching (for example group teaching, transferring skills between
instruments and using mini instruments). It has provided a vehicle for recruiting new
tutors and extending tuition.
10.
In addition to the impact on individuals, it has also had a significant impact on the
enjoyment and quality of ensemble playing by strengthening orchestras and bands,
improving the balance and standard of playing and, to a more limited extent,
extending the types of music being played. In some areas, repertoire for example, it
has highlighted the need to address the needs of Endangered Species instruments
through new composition and resource development.
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11.
Music Services employed a variety of measures to encourage a broad spread of
children and young people to take part, including providing free instrument loan and
tuition over a specified period. 53% of the programmes involved new specialist music
tutors with the highest levels of recruitment for oboe, bassoon and French horn.
There were difficulties in some areas in finding sufficient numbers of tutors for double
bass, French horn and oboe, with double bass tuition mentioned frequently as a
problem.
12.
Overall, 40% of the Services had training and development plans in place and a
variety of approaches were adopted to training and support, with some of the
Services building Endangered Species instrument tutor training into existing CPD and
INSET programmes. Services also made use of partnerships (for example Bolton
Music Services tutors were able to gain access to specialist training days at the Royal
Northern College of Music and Cheetham’s. Stoke on Trent Music School tutors took
part in an Improvisation Day with members of the Jools Holland Band). Tutors were
also given opportunities to attend special training events: an Instrument Development
Day in Essex; and a ‘rare breeds day’ in Cambridge.
13.
One of the programme’s successes was in establishing partnerships with professional
orchestras, music colleges and other music agencies. Partnerships were established
with The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, The City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, The Halle Orchestra, The London Symphony
Orchestra, Manchester Camerata and others.
For example, Hammersmith and
Fulham Music Service, as a result of its Endangered Species programme, has an
ongoing partnership with the Royal Academy of Music and the BBC Symphony
Orchestra. The Orchestra has formed an Endangered Species band and will offer
after-school sessions with musicians to provide extra support and inspiration for
young players.
14.
Endangered Species must be an ongoing programme of development; it cannot be a
one-off fix. The work which has been stimulated, in many instances building on
programmes already in place within Music Services, must be continued and will only
fully bear fruit in two to three years time as new players develop and the full impact is
felt within ensembles.
As the programme generates more Endangered Species
instrument players there may also be a continuing need for support and
encouragement with these expensive instruments beyond the school careers of
players. Despite the optimism within Music Services that the programmes can be
sustained, there is an underlying threat.
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15.
Without continuing access to funds with which to purchase more instruments and
finance the support measures which have been implemented and tried out through
the programme, there is a real danger that the programme will falter, that young
people from less well-off families will drop out of the programme due to lack of
financial resources, and that the expectations which have been raised through the
recruitment of new players, could lead to disappointment for many young people.
16.
Endangered Species has been a niche programme addressing a specific area of
need largely within the western musical tradition, but the programme is only one
strand of Youth Music’s wide range of work across a variety of musical forms. The
programme has contributed to and been used alongside the Wider Opportunities
programme, extending access to instrument playing to more young people.
17.
This evaluation report makes several recommendations.
Further funding for the
programme is required and the agencies involved with education and the support of
music for young people should come together to find the means of ensuring that the
programme can continue. There is a need for continuing monitoring and evaluation
of the programme in view of its long term developmental nature. The repertoire for
Endangered Species instruments is limited as are teaching resources for beginners
and consideration should be given to possible ways of supporting the development of
new commissions and other measures to enhance the Endangered Species
repertoire.
18.
Other recommendations include: the development of measures to assist Music
Services in providing a continuum of instruments, including mini instruments for
beginners; consideration of a flexible approach to Endangered Species instrument
support in any future Youth Music programme should funding become available; and
consideration of the option of support for other minority instruments outside the
Endangered Species family, including possibly the viola, which was identified by
many Music Services as being in need of support. (The cello was also mentioned by
several Services).
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1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
The Endangered Species Programme
Endangered Species is a capital purchase scheme designed specifically for Music
Services as a follow-up to previous Youth Music instrument schemes. Its aim was to
help Music Services to tackle the problem of falling numbers of young people taking
up and continuing to play the following instruments: bassoon; oboe; French horn;
trombone; tuba (including the euphonium); baritone horn; and double bass.
The
scheme provided awards of up to 70% of the purchase costs of new instruments.
The programme was devised following evaluation of previous Youth Music
programmes and the 2002 Department for Education and Skills (DfES) survey of
instrumental Music Services2, which showed that very few young people were being
given the opportunity to play these instruments. It also responded to feedback from
Music Services indicating that they needed more of the instruments.
Endangered Species also embraced a Protected Species programme which
responded to feedback received from Music Services indicating that many good
musical instruments were not being used due to the poor quality of carrying cases.
The programme provided ‘gig bags’ (instrument carrying cases) for a range of
instruments free to Music Services on a first come first served basis up to a maximum
of fifty per Service. The aim was to supply more attractive instrument carrying bags
which would appeal to young people and challenge stereotypes of classical music
instruments.
The Endangered Species Programme was launched by Youth Music in November
2003 with applications to be submitted by February 2004 and decisions on awards
taken in May 2004. Eighty-nine Music Services received funding, representing a
£1.2m investment by Youth Music in over 2,000 Endangered Species instruments.
1,346 gig bags were also supplied.
A key component of the programme was the special voucher scheme. Prior to the
commencement of the programme Youth Music worked with the Music Group, a
group of independent music instrument suppliers and manufacturers, to agree a
standard discount for Music Services purchasing instruments with vouchers under the
Endangered Species programme.
Survey of Local Education Authorities’ Music Services 2002, Susan Hallam and Lynne Rogers
(Institute of Education, University of London, 2002)
2
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1.2
Evaluation Aims
The aim of the evaluation, set up in May 2004, was to provide an objective
assessment and perspective of the programme within the overall mission objectives
for Youth Music and the specific criteria for the Endangered Species programme.
Youth Music’s mission is:
‘To act as a catalyst for change and secure high quality music-making opportunities
from which all children and young people can benefit, particularly reaching those with
least opportunities.’

Establishing sustainable, accessible, diverse music-making opportunities

Improving the overall standards of music leadership and music-making

Championing the value of music-making, proving universally that music has a
positive effect on children and young people.
Its four key objectives are:

Access – providing those with least opportunity accessible ways into musicmaking and opportunities to progress.

Breadth – supporting music-making of all styles.

Coverage – ensuring opportunities are available in all localities and targeting
those where little music-making has occurred previously.

Quality – securing high standards for all.
The key aims of the Endangered Species programme are:

To promote the instruments to children and young people

To get more instruments into service

To start more children and young people playing these instruments

To retain the interest of those children and young people already playing.
Phase 1 of the evaluation of the programme focused on the application process up to
the point at which award decisions were made in May 2004. It provided an analysis
of the range of Services applying and their plans, as set out in their applications.
Phase 2 of the evaluation focuses on the implementation of the programme from
September 2004 to spring 2005 by those Music Services which were successful in
their applications.
It will assess the extent to which the Services were able to
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implement their plans in accordance with their applications and the extent of their
success in achieving their aims and objectives. It will also assess the success of the
programme in achieving the aims and objectives of Youth Music and the Endangered
Species programme.
1.3
Phase 1 Findings
The Phase 1 report concluded that Endangered Species was a highly popular
programme which had been extremely well-received by Music Services. A strength
of the programme was that it has been developed in response to identified needs
following discussion with Music Services, and was supporting them in addressing
their own strategic priorities. The level of demand suggested that a follow-up scheme
would also be successful, though there was some pressure to widen the range of
instruments within the Endangered Species category and considerable additional
demand for gig bags.
The application process had been relatively smooth with a high level of approval for
the processes involved.
The support given by Youth Music officers and the
information provided on the programme was praised, and there was a high level of
awareness about it due to widespread and effective publicity. The programme had
already influenced the ways in which some Music Services were operating and
planning and had had a positive impact, in some instances helping to raise the profile
of Music Services, particularly within their own LEAs.
The one significant area of difficulty with the programme had been the supply of
instruments. Despite the advance notice, the manufacturers and suppliers were
struggling to meet the level of demand for instruments resulting in considerable
delays in supply. It was evident at that point, in the spring of 2005, that the supply
problems would have an impact on some of the planned programmes. One Service
was critical of Youth Music for failing to appreciate the likelihood of supply problems
from one particular Music Group supplier which wholesalers and retailers were aware
of in the spring of 2004.
The Phase 1 report identified a number of challenges facing Music Services. In some
areas the availability of instruments was a major problem, while in others there were
insufficient numbers of qualified teachers. Pupils often felt that the instruments were
cumbersome to carry, there was a stigma attached to them and, due to the small
number of players, they could be quite isolating. There were also social factors: low
cultural aspirations in deprived areas; problems in playing instruments at home; the
cost of lessons.
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The issue of funding was raised by every Music Service. The DfES Standards Fund
(which provides funding to Local Education Authorities towards the improvement of
standards on a rolling three-year basis) was a vital source of funding accounting for
just over 33% of Music Service income. Earned income accounted for 51% whilst the
LEA contribution was just 14.1%. Uncertainty and unpredictability of funding was a
major concern impacting on staff recruitment and training programmes and the ability
to plan ahead.
Accommodation for music teaching was inadequate in many schools and music had
suffered from competing demands, including the strong emphasis on core curriculum
subjects.
There were challenges for Music Services and schools in areas of
deprivation where the cost of instrumental tuition was prohibitive to many parents and
in rural areas in terms of transport and high transport costs and the impracticability of
teaching groups in a scattered community. Another key challenge was making links
between primary and secondary music provision.
Music Services planned to respond to the above challenges through a variety of
measures including: better promotion of the instruments within schools; providing
concerts, recitals and demonstrations featuring the instruments; providing taster
sessions and other hands-on experiences; free and subsidised tuition and other
financial support; more opportunities for ensemble playing; encouraging parents to
buy instruments; providing mentor schemes; helping with transport; teaching different
musical genres; working with teachers to develop more structured plans; increasing
the numbers of instruments and teachers; and supplying more child-sized
instruments.
The Music Services which had been successful in applying to Endangered Species
intended, between them, to provide an experience of the instruments (e.g. hearing
them being played) to 243,355 children; it was planned that 30,814 would have an
experience of playing them (through a taster session for instance); and 2,369 would
have the opportunity to develop playing skills (though ongoing tuition).
The successful Music Services wished to purchase a total of 2,128 instruments of
which 40% were to be purchased from The Music Group (TMG) suppliers. There was
a good spread of purchasing across the ES instrument categories ranging from 200
tubas to 387 French horns, the most popular instrument. Double basses were the
second most popular with 384 purchases planned, with trombones at 340 the third
most popular.
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1.4
Phase 2 Evaluation Process
The Phase 2 evaluation work commenced in the spring of 2005.
The research
consisted of three elements:

a postal survey of all Music Services taking part with some telephone
consultation linked to the survey;

case studies of three Services;

and analysis of information and data provided by Youth Music.
The research was timed to enable visits to case studies and the survey to be
conducted after a period of implementation of the planned Endangered Species
programmes. However, some of the programmes were either partially implemented
from September 2004, or had to be postponed due to the delays with instrument
supply.
As a result the timescale was adjusted to provide more time for Music
Services to get their programmes underway.
In a few instances this has meant the implementation of programmes being delayed
by a year until September 2005. It has also meant that some Services were still at a
relatively early stage of implementation when the delayed survey was finally
undertaken in the early summer of 2005. Despite this the majority of Music Services
receiving Endangered Species awards (69 out of 89) have completed survey forms
and three case studies were undertaken successfully.
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2.
CASE STUDY SUMMARY
2.1
Selection
The case studies were intended to provide a snapshot with some in-depth
understanding of the ways in which the programme was being implemented and its
effectiveness in particular instances; with just three studies it was not possible to
provide a representative sample across all of the different types of service,
programme and area.
The three case study services selected included both independent and local authority
services; the first, Ealing, was located in Greater London; the second, Suffolk, worked
across a rural county; and the third, Kirklees, served a metropolitan area in the north
of England. The three therefore provided a contrast and geographic spread.
Suffolk Music Service is a ‘quasi-trading unit’ within the Education Department of
Suffolk County Council. It has 80 full and part-time peripatetic staff providing
instrumental and vocal tuition, primary class music, ensemble work and music
therapy in primary, middle, upper/high and special schools, together with an
extensive programme of music activities at district area and county level.
Ealing Music Service is part of the London Borough of Ealing’s Education Service and
was re-established in September 2000 after a period of ten years when there was no
LEA music provision at all in Ealing. Initially the Service was part of the Council’s
Arts and Cultural Services but as a result of an internal review/restructuring process,
it is now part of in the Ealing Education Service.
Kirklees Music School is a charitable independent music service which formerly
operated as part of the Education Department. The School operates seven music
centres, five of which are based in schools. Huddersfield Music Centre is located in a
building purchased by the organisation in 2004 which will be refurbished to provide
the Music School with a central rehearsal and administration base. The School has a
staff of around eighty.
2.2
Structure of Case Study Research
The agreed aims of the case studies were:

To learn more about the organisation and its involvement in the programme
through qualitative assessment.
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
To see work in progress (if possible) and assess its effectiveness and quality.

To assess whether the organisation had met the core aims of the programme and
whether it had addressed the specific programme targets.

To identify issues for Youth Music and future Endangered Species programmes
or other possible programmes involving Music Services.
The case studies involved visits to each of the Music Services and one to one
interviews were conducted with people involved with the programme, including:

The Endangered Species co-ordinator/manager within the Music Service

The Head of Music Service and other key Music Service staff involved in
Endangered Species programme

Teachers/leaders involved in the delivery of the programme

Teachers from schools with pupils learning instruments through the Programme

Some of the participants and parents (in groups or informally)

Other key partners such as orchestras.
A range of background material on the Music Service and its Endangered Species
programme was assessed and visits were made to see music making in progress,
both in ensemble and small group situations. Each case study process was different,
depending on the structure of the programme and the availability of key individuals.
2.3
The Case Study Endangered Species Programmes
Detailed case study reports are included within the appendices.
The following
summarises each of the three Endangered Species case study programmes and their
main achievements and outcomes.
2.3.1
Suffolk Music Service
The Endangered Species Project in Suffolk was centred on one instrument – the
bassoon. The Service had a number of other Endangered Species instruments but
identified the bassoon as the instrument which needed the most encouragement,
particularly for ensembles of younger children which often lacked a true bass
instrument.
The Service had already introduced some measures to support Endangered Species
instrument playing, with tutors demonstrating instruments at schools, press articles
promoting the instruments, open mornings at music centres, area group tuition for
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minority instruments and work with schools to ensure that they offered an effective
range of instruments.
The Service purchased five tenoroons which were suitable for children who were still
too small to manage the full-size instrument with comfort. It is slightly larger than the
mini bassoon but smaller than the short-reach bassoon and can be a better steppingstone to the full-size bassoon than the short-reach bassoon. There was no delay in
receiving the instruments once the order was made. Of the five instruments ordered,
four were available for teaching and one was for the tutor’s use.
Four primary school children were selected to learn the instrument, each of whom
already played an instrument. They were provided with the instruments on a loan
free basis for a period of three terms with access to regular tuition. There was a clear
strategy for maintaining the bassoon within the Service; it was intended that the four
children would eventually move onto the short-reach bassoon (and thence to the fullsize bassoon) and their places on the tenoroon would then be taken by four more
pupils who had progressed from the mini-bassoon.
All four children said the tenoroon was 'easy when you got used to it'. They were too
young to worry about difficulties and to them the bassoon was just another
instrument, double reed or no double reed. They liked the sound it made; 'no, it's not
sad, it's jolly' one said in response to a question about the sound the
bassoon/tenoroon makes which some people think is melancholy. The children also
played the recorder and said 'we want to keep on playing the tenoroon, it's better than
the recorder'.
The Endangered Species scheme was not critical for the Music School, but it had
been very welcome nonetheless and has enabled the School to experiment with a
new instrument.
It has also completed the ‘bassoon continuum’ and allows children
to move up through the different instrument sizes from mini bassoon to full size
instrument. In this way a workable strategy for the development of County bassoon
players has been established.
2.3.2
Ealing Music Service
The
Endangered
Species
project
in
Ealing
focused
(oboes/bassoons), French horns and double basses.
on
double
reeds
The Service had found it
particularly difficult to attract new students to these instruments. In February 2005
there were only 3 bassoon, 3 oboe, and no double bass students.
The Service
purchased 24 instruments (4 bassoons, 8 oboes, 6 mini French horns and 6 half-size
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double basses) at a total cost of £18,248, though the Service already had a healthy
stock of good quality instruments including some of the chosen Endangered Species
instruments.
The Endangered Species Programme was felt to be a timely opportunity to enable
the Service to promote and raise awareness of Endangered Species instruments ‘en
masse’ in some targeted schools with a view to extending the reach in the longer
term if the initial scheme was successful.
It was also planned to promote other
Endangered Species instruments already owned by the Service (trombones) but not
purchased with Youth Music funds.
In developing and delivering its project, Ealing Music Service established a new
partnership with the BBC Concert Orchestra which already had strong links with a
number of schools in the Borough. (This collaboration formed part of an extension to
Youth Music’s Endangered Species programme involving a partnership with the
Association of British Orchestras and some of its member orchestras to initiate
instrument development days to promote the scheme and Endangered Species
instruments).
The key elements of the project were:

A mini conference hosted by Ealing Music Service and BBC Concert Orchestra to
promote the scheme within the Borough and more widely.

Recruitment of students through a ‘have a go’/instrument development day in
target schools led by ensembles of BBC Concert Orchestra with support from the
Endangered Species tutors.

Free group tuition and instrument hire with some continuing support from BBC
Concert Orchestra players.

An Endangered Species instrument focus day for all Endangered Species
students (involving some workshops ensemble/collaborative work) in partnership
with the London College of Music and Media.

Attendance by Endangered Species students at BBC Concert Orchestra
rehearsals and events.
The project commenced in April 05 with taster days in each school and all the new
and old instruments distributed to the schools for all children to have a go during the
tasters and to be loaned thereafter to new students. In Little Ealing Primary School,
150 children (the entire school) participated and this resulted in 8 new French horn
and 4 new trombone students.
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Other Schools adopted a more targeted approach (this resulted in 7-9 new bassoon
students in Villiers High School and 15 new oboe students at Twyford High School, all
of whom have been receiving regular weekly tuition. A second phase focusing on
double basses will commence in September 05 and a new double bass tutor has
been appointed.
Although still at an interim stage of implementation, the project has already increased
the number of students learning Endangered Species instruments with a total of 55
pupils now playing, an increase of 34 (162%) since the start of the project, and there
have been significant increases in the number of students learning french horn,
bassoons, oboes and trombones with all of the new and some of the existing
instruments in use.
41% of these new students come from non-White
British/European backgrounds therefore the project has been successful in reaching
a broad cultural mix of young people.
The project has also resulted in the
appointment of 3 new tutors.
Although established repertoire and teaching materials are the basis for the technical
development of the new students, some of the teachers are working with other
musical genres and in other ways. For example in Villiers High School, the bassoon
teacher is very interested in jazz and contemporary music and the use of
improvisation and is beginning to introduce some of this and music familiar to the
young people.
Ealing Music Service is a young and small but forward thinking and developing music
service serving a diverse community. Its participation in the initiative has been a
valuable and timely opportunity for it to raise its profile and realise some of its own
strategic plans, particularly in developing new partnerships, accessing more young
people and also addressing some clear gaps in its instrumental teaching.
All of the instruments purchased have or will be utilised, along with other instruments
owned by Ealing Music Service but not in use until this point. In the longer term, the
programme is also likely to have a noticeable impact on ensemble work with new
Endangered Species students progressing into and enhancing the scope and breadth
of repertoire of the Service’s existing ensembles and through the creation of new
groups.
The decision to focus intensively on one or two specific instruments in particular
schools (i.e. an ‘en masse’ targeted approach) rather than a broader cross-school
approach has been particularly effective in raising awareness of the target
instruments, attracting new students and establishing a ‘community’ of interest which
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can be self supporting.
The Service’s new partnership with the BBC Concert Orchestra has been invaluable
in many respects and has given the project a much stronger presence within Ealing
and beyond. The BBC brand has enhanced the profile of the project and made it
more attractive to schools, students and parents and the involvement of professional
musicians has clearly provided the emerging new students with strong and
inspirational role models.
2.3.3
Kirklees Music School
The aim of the Endangered Species project was to increase the number of players of
Endangered Species instruments by: purchasing new high quality instruments for
experienced players; and introducing new starter players by offering them the
opportunity to learn Endangered Species instruments.
It was intended that
instruments would be handed down by experienced players receiving new
replacement instruments.
A key objective was to support advanced players in
improving their playing by providing them with better quality instruments.
The main elements of the project were:

Encouraging more take-up of ES instruments at Music Centres.

Free loan of instruments.

Low cost lessons – from £15 a term.

Encouraging all clarinet and saxophone players to consider tuition on the
bassoon.

Promoting the instruments through recital teams and ensembles.
The School has an ongoing commitment to promoting Endangered Species
instrument playing and runs regular taster days at which experienced players from
schools perform and demonstrate the instruments. 150 schools in the District have
had taster experiences.
It also demonstrates Endangered Species instruments
through its own tutor ensembles. The Service has also been tackling the issue of
transition between Junior and Secondary schools by running brass days involving
older players, workshops and concerts.
The Service intended to introduce new instrumental sessions for starter players into
the timetable at the beginning of the autumn term 2004. Instruments were ordered in
June 2004, but by September only the trombones and two double basses had been
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supplied; other instruments arrived between January and April 2005. The short reach
bassoons had still not been delivered almost a year after the date they were ordered.
Despite the fact that the programme was still at a relatively early stage of
implementation when the case study visit took place, it had already increased the
numbers of players of Endangered Species instruments with a total of 175 pupils
playing, an increase of 25 (17%). A key achievement of the programme was the
strengthening of ensembles. Maintaining the balance of ensembles had been an
ongoing problem and there had been significant gaps within youth orchestras and
ensembles.
For instance neither of the two string ensembles which used the main music centre
had double bass players and there were inadequate numbers of wind players in most
ensembles. There were only two French horn players in the District. The introduction
of more Endangered Species instrument players would enable the repertoire to be
extended and raise the standard of ensemble playing by strengthening the bass line.
The established repertoire for Endangered Species instruments tends to come from
the western and American music traditions, and Kirklees Music School is trying to
address this by introducing other musical genres.
The Kirklees Music School programme has represented a strategic intervention in an
area of need with impact across the Service’s ensemble playing. This is an area
which had been identified as critical in terms of the quality of experience for young
players, both in terms of the quality of individual instruments being used and the
quality of sound being produced by the relevant bands, which had experienced a
shortage of players on Endangered Species instruments.
Some existing instruments have been freed up to allow more younger players to learn
Endangered Species instruments and this has resulted in increased numbers of
Endangered Species instruments being played across the School’s activities. The
project has widened the range of music which can be played effectively but has
probably not yet had a significant impact on the cultural breadth and diversity of
musical experience.
The programme is sustainable within existing resources as it dovetails with existing
practice and the additional tuition required can be met within the School’s existing
staff resource. The Kirklees Endangered Species programme is unlikely however to
have a major impact overall on numbers of pupils playing instruments as it has only
purchased 19 new instruments in a Service with 4,500 students. If it is to extend
opportunity to more young people it will need to continue to encourage young people
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to play instruments through its taster programme, to bring more of its existing
instrument stock back into use and to increase the number of instruments it has
available.
However, the Endangered Species programme will have a noticeable impact on
ensemble playing and will help to ensure that existing bands are able to play a
broader repertoire at a higher standard while introducing Endangered Species
instruments to a new generation of children. It should have a major influence on the
quality of ensemble playing and that should encourage more young people to
become involved and to maintain their involvement.
2.4
Case Study Findings
The three case studies provided an insight into the different approaches being
adopted in three different contexts. Only one of the three had to adapt its plans due
to delays in instrument supply.
It was noticeable that the Suffolk programme had a very tight focus, intended to
support the progression of players in one instrument, the bassoon. Its initial direct
impact was limited to a relatively small number of children, ensuring that they had the
most appropriate instruments on which to develop their playing over a number of
years.
By purchasing teneroons, the Service ensured that it was providing new
young players with appropriate instruments on which to progress.
The Kirklees programme was similar, in that it introduced new instruments into
ensembles, the majority being provided to existing players, thereby freeing up
existing instruments for new programmes with younger players. Endangered Species
therefore provided valuable strategic support to raise the quality of ensemble playing
and support its existing programme of Endangered Species instrument tuition. There
was however an underlying need to increase the instrument stock (and improve the
existing stock) across a range of instruments so that it could include many more
students in music playing.
The Ealing programme provided an excellent model of instrument playing
development and effective use of resources. In particular the whole school approach
and the involvement of the BBC Concert Orchestra raised the profile and prestige of
the programme, giving it an extra edge and reached large numbers of young people.
The programme was also particularly important in bringing the existing instrument
stock back into use to provide more opportunities for young players.
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The case studies demonstrate the importance of the Endangered Species
programme in supporting the music infrastructure by helping to maintain balance
within ensemble music playing and involving more young people in playing
Endangered Species instruments.
It has had an impact on the quality of music
making in all three case studies and extended access in varying degrees.
The three programmes have started more young people on the instruments, brought
more instruments into use and assisted the three services in sustaining interest in
and commitment to Endangered Species instruments by integrating them effectively
into their existing programmes. It has not yet had a significant impact on repertoire,
though all three Services are aware of the need to extend the repertoire and are
taking measures to support this.
The case studies highlighted the use of small size instruments. Kirklees purchased a
mix of full and smaller sized instruments (3 out of 19), Suffolk just purchased
teneroons while Ealing purchased just one small instrument, a ½ size double bass
(out of 24). The use of mini Endangered Species instruments to encourage more
young players might be given further consideration (some research was undertaken
by Becky Coulthard of Kirklees Music Service who found that more mini instruments
were coming on to the market and that they greatly assisted music teaching,
particularly on the bassoon).
It was evident from all three case studies that, once introduced to the Endangered
Species instruments, and given opportunities to play in groups, many young people
welcomed the opportunity to play less common instruments and became enthused
about them. On the evidence available to date the programme will have made a
significant and continuing impact on minority instrument playing and achieved its aims
in each of the three case studies.
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3.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
3.1
The Music Services
Of the 89 Music Services participating in the Endangered Species programme, 69
(77.5%) responded. Of these seven worked across more than one local authority
area. 17 (25%) were based in London with the lowest level of returns in the Eastern
and East Midlands regions (3 and 4 respectively).
3.2
Programme Range and Balance
The range and types of projects planned by Music Services were set out in the Phase
1 report. Programmes tended to fall into the three areas of giving children and young
people an experience of the instruments; giving them an experience of playing the
instruments; and giving them an opportunity to develop skills on the instruments.
(See 3.4.1 below for details of numbers across the three areas).
Many Services ran targeted programmes focussing on just one or two instruments or
on particular age groups, beginners for instance, while others supported development
across the full Endangered Species range and involved children and young people
across the full 5 to 18 age range. 80% of Services purchased bassoons, while less
than half (47%) purchased euphonium/bass horns.
Some Services, Birmingham, Lewisham, Southampton, Suffolk and North Yorkshire
for example, purchased just one type of instrument; four of the above purchased
bassoons only. Others, East Sussex, Hertfordshire, Merton, Luton, Leicestershire
and Leicester, and Salford for example, purchased across all of the Endangered
Species categories of instrument.
There was also targeting of age groups (see Appendix III). Cheshire Music Service
worked with the 8 to 11 age group to provide an experience and experience of
playing Endangered Species instruments, and just with the 12 to 14 age range in
proving opportunities to develop skills. Gloucestershire worked just with the 8 to 11
age range and Kingston upon Hull just with the 12 to 14 age range. In contrast Essex
Bolton, Sandwell and Herefordshire for example, worked across the full age range in
including providing opportunities for all ages to develop playing skills.
37% of Services provided an experience to the 5-7 age range with just 10% offering
this age group the opportunity to develop skills as part of the programme. In contrast
63-64% of the 8 to 11 age range was given opportunities across all three levels of
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experience. Overall the highest level of provision was for the 8 to 11 age group with
the 12 to 14 age group second highest.
Several Services commented that they wished to roll out their programmes to include
age groups which had not been targeted in the initial programme or to include a wider
range of instruments in subsequent programmes.
3.3
Programme Implementation
The Endangered Species programme had been scheduled to enable Music Services
to commence their programme of work by September 2004.
45 Services (65%)
stated that their programmes commenced on time and 21 (30% of total sample) of the
24 which did not start on time said that the delay was due to delays in receiving
instruments from suppliers. Some programmes commenced on a phased basis, even
though they had not received all of the instruments while other services postponed
the start date of the whole programme. Some programmes did not commence until
2005.
59 Services, (89%) were able to purchase all of the instruments they required; of the
ten that were not, half pointed to problems with supply which resulted in them
purchasing alternatives. The length of delay varied from instrument to instrument and
between suppliers. Bassoon deliveries were between two and six months late and
there were also particular problems with tuba deliveries. The majority of Services
were able to purchase all of the instruments as planned, however in a few instances,
Haringey for example, there were changes, mainly in response to the supply
problems.
32% of the services had made major changes to their planned programmes. There
were a variety of reasons for this including: recruitment problems with oboe and
bassoon; timetabling problems; instrument supply delays; and change of focus or
structure of the programme due to logistical or other issues, such as staff changes
and lack of capacity.
Independent Services (e.g. Richmond and Kirklees) mentioned the impact of VAT on
their instrument purchasing. As they were unable to reclaim VAT on purchases they
either had to contribute a higher percentage of total costs or reduce the level of
purchases.
In several instances the planned Endangered Species programme was integrated
with the Wider Opportunities programme already underway. In Hammersmith and
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Fulham changes were made to the programme as a result of new opportunities which
arose through the partnership with the Royal Academy of Music and BBC Symphony
Orchestra and with additional funding from Youth Music’s Music Maker programme.
A number of Services have worked together, providing training and inviting other
services to send children and young people to their instrument promotional activities.
Haringey ran a one-day Endangered Species course inviting five neighbouring
Boroughs to send pupils. 52 young people attended, with ages ranging from 7 to 17,
of whom ten were beginners.
Another feature of the programme was the bringing together of primary and
secondary school sectors. Though not a common element in all programmes, many
of the Services ran ensembles catering for the full age range and there were
instances of activities stretching across the school range. In Kirklees the Service had
been tackling the issue of transition between Junior and Secondary schools by
running brass days involving older players, workshops and concerts. This has been
aided by the pyramid schooling system in which some teachers work across the two
tiers.
3.4
Programme Participants
3.4.1
Experiences and Skills
The programme has provided an experience of Endangered Species instruments to
354,000 children (an average of 5,130) across the 69 services responding to the
questionnaire. If adjusted to give a total this is equivalent to 451,000 across all 89
Services (see table below), almost double the estimated figure of 243,000 (average
2767) across all Service programmes (those which received awards) intimated in the
application forms.
22,164 (average 321) children have had an experience of playing an Endangered
Species instrument, compared with the estimated 30,814 (average 350) across all
Services. 3,898 (average 56) children have had the opportunity to develop skills on
an Endangered Species instrument, compared with the estimated total number of
2,369 (average 27) stated in the original applications.
If we adjust the survey return figures to provide an estimate of numbers actually
participating across all 89 services (by averaging up the figures for the 69
responding) the comparable figures are as below.
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Estimated numbers experiencing the instruments
Actuals Adjusted figures are for all 89 services based on 69 responses.
Estimated
Broad experience
Playing experience
Chance to develop skills
Total
243,455
30,814
2,369
Avge
2,767
350
27
Actual
Total
354,000
22,164
3,898
Avge
5,130
321
56
Actual Adjusted
Total
451,478
28,267
4,971
Avge
5,130
321
56
It is evident from these figures that the programme has reached considerably more
children than originally planned, with up to 200,000 more children having an
experience of Endangered Species instruments and more than double the numbers
continuing to play instruments. There is a very slight decrease in the numbers having
an experience of playing against the planned figures, which is almost certainly due to
instrument supply problems.
The average of 56 children per Service continuing to develop skills on the instruments
is particularly surprising given that the total number of instruments being purchased
was 2,128. It suggests that the instruments purchased are being supplemented by
additional instruments purchased by Services and parents and by existing
instruments in stock being made better use of. Sharing of instruments may also be a
factor, (some Services have purchased additional mouthpieces to facilitate sharing)
though most Services appear to loan instruments to individual children.
Many of the programmes focused specifically on attracting new beginners, some
purchasing mini instruments for this purpose. In other instances new instruments
were purchased for existing players to strengthen existing ensembles with old
instruments handed down to younger players.
In Gateshead for instance the
programme targeted children and young people already playing instruments and
encouraged them to take on an Endangered Species instrument. It has encourage
children to transfer skills between instruments, from cornet to horn for example, and
has found this approach very useful.
Transfer from guitar to double bass has been particularly successful, as has tenor
horn to tuba, and recorder to oboe.’
Gateshead Schools Music Service.
3.4.2
Range of Children Participating
The survey returns indicate that 81% of the children taking part were of White British
with 15% of Asian or African Caribbean origin. The breakdown between boys and
girls was fairly even, with slightly more girls than boys having an experience of an
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instrument, but more boys than girls having an opportunity to develop skills on an
Endangered Species instrument.
25% of the children involved in the programme were aged 5 to 7, with 47%, aged 8 to
11 and 28% in the secondary education age range. The programme therefore had a
strong bias towards younger children and the early stages of instrument learning.
This was largely due to the large numbers of younger children involved in the
introductory work related to having an experience of the instruments, though more
children in the 5 to 11 age range (2,198) had opportunities to develop skills than in
the 12 to 18 age range (1,580).
It is evident from many of the responses from Music Services that the programme has
reached a wide cross-section of children, particularly where it has been linked with
Wider Opportunities programmes.
In Enfield for instance the Music Service is
developing special resources to meet the needs of children from deprived areas.
3.5
Impact on Children and Young People
It is evident from the statistical returns above that the programme has touched a
larger number of children and young people and that the levels of children and young
people continuing to develop skills on the instruments is in excess of the numbers
originally envisaged. Our survey invited Music Service co-ordinators to rate the main
impacts of the programme. The four impacts which were rated most highly were:

Encouraging more children to play Endangered Species instruments

Extending the musical experience of children playing instruments

Providing opportunities for children to play instruments at an affordable cost

Widening appreciation of the instruments by children.
Also rated highly were:

attracting a wider range of children to play instruments

and encouraging more children to play in ensembles.
The majority of Services were offering access to Endangered Species instruments by
way of free instrument loan, support for instrument purchase and in many instances
free tuition for a limited period, with a variety of other incentives and opportunities,
including providing opportunities for ensemble and group playing, programmes
involving major orchestras and other partners and special mentoring and support
schemes.
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In particular the programmes were reaching large numbers of younger children and
supporting the progression and development of music making by the children by
making it possible for beginners to take up Endangered Species instruments at an
early age and involving them in ensemble playing. The programme was also helping
to change perceptions of Endangered Species instruments with children some of
whom saw the instruments as more interesting and ‘cool’ than more popular
instruments.
Enfield Music Service stated that the programme had raised the self-esteem of
students, while Lambeth Music Service found that:
‘Users have increased musical awareness, developed musical and instrument
specific skills plus raised achievement, developed self-esteem, confidence and wider
skills based around literacy, numeracy and composition.’
Essex referred to there being a cachet attached to brass instruments. Students at
Villiers School in Ealing who were learning the bassoon commented:
'Its cool'
'It stands out from the crowd'
'The first time I heard it, I thought 'What can you do with this?'
The Isle of Wight Music Service commented that the programme had enabled a large
number of students to access instruments regardless of socio-economic background
and Kent Music School reinforced this view, saying that funding had given a chance
to learn to pupils who would not otherwise have thought of it.
Nottinghamshire Arts Support Service found that:
‘The ES programme is helping to change the way young people are initially attracted
to the instruments.’
3.6
Involvement of Parents and Carers
Endangered Species was not specifically targeted at direct involvement of parents
and carers, but their support for children learning Endangered Species instruments
was crucial to the success of the programme.
In particular parents and carers
support might be required in paying for extended tuition and instrument purchase; in
assisting with transport; in ensuring that children learning the instruments were able
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to do so at home; and in providing general support and encouragement, including
attendance at concerts and other events. Parents were often impressed to see their
children playing Endangered Species instruments, as one child playing the bassoon
commented:
'My mum's eyes were wide open!'
Overall it was estimated that 24,686 (an average of 504) parents and carers were
involved by attending musical events. A further 2,355 were involved in other ways
including: attending lessons with children; helping to set up rehearsal space and run
Saturday centres; fundraising and instrument purchase; and transporting children.
Liverpool City Music Service referred to parents and carers providing support with
fundraising and Tees Valley Music Service commented:
‘Parents have been fully involved in the project and many of them have attended
some, if not all, of the lessons. In some cases parents are players of Endangered
Species instruments themselves and are actively supervising practice between
lessons.’
The Suffolk case study visit confirmed the interest and support of parents and carers,
several of whom were in attendance at the rehearsal session visited.
‘Parents/grandfather think the loan scheme is excellent and would all be prepared to
buy a bassoon for their child if s/he continues to be interested in the instrument.
Parents particularly like the fact that the children are learning together as a group, out
of school hours. The parents were all very interested in their child’s progress,
encouraging practice, supporting them as their children try to find their way around
the instrument, ferrying the children to lessons.‘
(Above taken from case study report included in the appendices).
3.7
Tutors and Training Support
The availability of specialist tutors for Endangered Species instruments varied
considerably from one Music Service to another with 53% involving new tutors. On
average Services had between 2 and 5 existing tutors for each Endangered Species
instrument and recruited an average of one additional tutor as a result of the
Endangered Species project.
The highest levels of recruitment were for oboe,
bassoon and French horn, possibly because some Services did not have existing
tutors for these instruments. One Service commented that it was too small to support
instrumental specialists of this kind.
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40% of Services stated that they had not experienced difficulties with regard to
Endangered Species instrument tutors. Of those which did experience problems, the
main areas of difficulty were with double bass, bassoon, French horn and oboe.
Several commented specifically on the problem of finding double bass tutors. Some
Services found it difficult to recruit tutors for individual or small group tuition. There
were also some problems with training and support for tutors.
For example, Cheshire and Enfield referred to difficulty in finding tutors, particularly
for small groups. There are financial reasons for some of the problems, since tutors
may have to travel large distances between schools in order to teach small numbers
of pupils and there may be insufficient work in view of the minority interest in the
instruments. Merton Music Foundation commented:
‘It is difficult to find tutors willing to teach only one or two pupils in a school.’
Nottingham City Music Service stated:
‘We are always struggling to find double reed, lower string and French horn
specialists.……..due to ES being in less demand, it can be difficult to find enough
work for the tutors that we do attract. We have a bit of a ‘horse and cart’ scenario in
that we can’t build up interest in ES instruments unless we have the tutors… but
unless we have the tutors we can’t promote these instruments and generate sufficient
work’.
A variety of approaches were adopted to training and support, with some of the
Services building Endangered Species instrument tutor training into existing CPD and
INSET programmes, in some instances creating new Endangered Species training
programmes as part of existing programmes.
Services also made use of their
partnerships. Bolton Music Services tutors were able to gain access to specialist
training days at the Royal Northern College of Music and Cheetham’s. Stoke on
Trent Music School also made use of the Cheetham’s courses as well as working
with experts from the Hallé and involvement in an Improvisation Day with members of
the Jools Holland Band.
In some Services training and mentoring was provided in-house by existing
instrumental staff, in Havering, Wirral and Barnsley for example. Tutors were also
given opportunities to attend special training events: an Instrument Development Day
in Essex; and a ‘rare breeds day’ in Cambridge. In a few instances (Gloucestershire
and West Sussex for example) Services did not feel there was a need for additional
training.
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Several Services introduced a package of measures:
Northamptonshire Music
Service backed up existing annual training provision of five days per tutor with
individual training and support and regular sharing of expertise and Haringey Music
and Performing Arts adopted a similar approach.
Overall, 40% of the Services had training and development plans in place.
3.8
Ensembles and Repertoire
Strengthening ensemble playing was a key aim for many of the Music Services, and
when asked to rate the impact of the Endangered Species programme on repertoire
and ensemble playing, introducing new players to ensembles and increasing the
number of children playing in ensembles were rated as the greatest impacts of the
programme.
The relatively low number of instruments purchased by each Service in relation to its
scale of operation meant that Endangered Species was used by many as a strategic
intervention. In Suffolk for instance, the purchase of five tenoroons completed the
‘bassoon continuum’ and allowed children to move up through the different instrument
sizes from mini bassoon to full size instrument. In this way a workable strategy for
the development of County bassoon players was established, with young tenoroon
players eventually progressing to become members of an ensemble.
In Kirklees, the Music School’s orchestras and bands were suffering from a lack of
bass line players, which was restricting the repertoire and development of the
orchestras. By strengthening the bass lines the Service was aiming to support its
range of ensemble playing and enhance the musical experience for all children
playing in orchestras and bands.
‘The main impact has been to ensure continuation of high quality instruments in
Music Centres and promote the importance of bass line instruments in balanced
ensembles.’
Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Service stated:
‘It has been wonderful to purchase a range of the more unusual instruments and get
them into use. Without bassoons, oboes, horns, basses etc. none of our groups can
have a totally positive experience.’
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Many Services (particularly those such as Southampton Music Services, whose
programme focused exclusively on beginners or others which had been delayed)
commented that it was too early to assess the impact on ensemble playing overall as
it would take some time for younger players to develop and join orchestras and
bands. The programme was seen by some Services as having more long term than
short term benefits. Barnsley Performing Arts Development Service confirmed this
but also stated that:
‘for the first time ever we have two French horns in our Junior Band, and for the first
time in six years we have French horn players ready to join the Barnsley Youth
Orchestra. This will have a huge impact on the breadth of repertoire that can be
performed.’
A number of Services in areas with brass band traditions (Gateshead for example)
have mentioned the use of brass band repertoire with trombones and horns. Enfield
Arts Support Service has created a new brass ensemble in two schools and Salford
has also created new double bass ensembles.
In Nottingham the City Music Service reported that a good number of school
ensembles had been started up or developed with Endangered Species instruments.
Nottingham also mentioned the considerable impact of the Wider Opportunities
programme on learning ensembles and the interaction between the two programmes,
with Endangered Species being used to support Wider Opportunities, particularly in
developing the Jazz model in four schools using Endangered Species trombones.
Greenwich also made specific reference to the use of trombones in their Wider
Opportunities programme.
Herefordshire Music Services pointed to the role of Endangered Species instruments
in ‘underpinning and sustaining ensembles.’
Barking and Dagenham Community
Music Service stated that the programme had:
‘Enabled more lower brass to join bass ensembles that has given a wider range to the
ensembles with an increased depth and harmony in the bass lines. Starter string
ensembles have benefited from the introduction of a basic bass line’
Warwickshire Music Service also emphasised the broader impact on ensemble
playing, stating that Endangered Species instruments were:
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‘Essential in creating balanced groups in ensembles such as orchestras, wind bands
and brass bands. This is very valuable for all children within ensembles, not only
those playing Endangered Species instruments.’
Havering Music School commented:
‘It is just great to have strong bass line starting to emerge.’
Staffordshire Performing Arts was equally enthusiastic:
‘The Endangered Species project was the catalyst for a most successful brass
concert featuring the three brass groups and E.S.P. children from three neighbouring
music centres. It was also responsible for the formation of a double-reed ensemble
for beginners and a bassoon workshop.’
The programme is impacting on repertoire, primarily by extending the range available
to ensembles and orchestras. However the shortage of suitable compositions and
tutorial guides for beginners was identified as an issue. In Kirklees the orchestra and
band repertoire consisted largely of western and American music.
The lack of
suitable tutorial material was being addressed by developing the School’s own first
term brass tutor, using the Common Approach booklet as a guide. Assistance with
improvisation was mentioned as an area of need.
In Ealing some of the teachers were working with other musical genres and in other
ways. For example in Villiers High School, the bassoon teacher was interested in
jazz and contemporary music and the use of improvisation and was beginning to
introduce some of this alongside and as an integral part of the basic technical work
with a view to challenging and broadening the experience of the students. He was
also using music familiar to the young people, such as adverts music, to engage their
interest. The children made various comments including:
'I really like learning in this way - its fun'
(referring to group teaching, playing music from adverts etc)
'We have learnt quite a lot quite quickly'
The Hammersmith and Fulham Music service programme has addressed this issue
imaginatively through its partnerships (see below) with new work for Endangered
Species instruments composed as part of the programme. Gloucestershire Music
(see below) has used Endangered Species instruments in its jazz project. Luton
Music Service composed a solo piece specifically for the double bass.
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It is evident however that further initiatives are required to support repertoire
development, particularly with regard to work available for beginners groups and
Endangered Species ensembles.
3.9
Partnerships
An impressive range of partnerships have been established, including a range of
programmes involving professional orchestras and music colleges. The orchestral
partners were:
The Association of British Orchestras
The BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Britten Sinfonia
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The Halle Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra
Manchester Camerata
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Other partners included the Cheltenham International Jazz Festival, the Jools Holland
Band, the National Association of Youth Orchestras, London College of Music and
Media, London Welsh Brass Ensemble, The Royal Academy of Music, Birmingham
Conservatoire, Cheetham’s College of Music and Trinity College of Music. There are
also partners from the youth and voluntary music sectors, from regeneration
programmes and other music development agencies.
Orchestral and education sector partners were involved in the programmes in several
ways: providing specialist tuition and running workshops; contributing to special
events, such as Endangered Species development days and concerts; supporting
launches; offering support and training to tutors; running masterclasses; providing
guest players; and taking part in other activities and programmes, including
instrument promotional days, demonstrations and events.
Hammersmith and Fulham Music Service, as a result of its Endangered Species
programme, has developed an ongoing partnership with the Royal Academy of Music
and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Extra support and inspiration for the young
Hammersmith & Fulham players will be provided by musicians from the BBC
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Symphony Orchestra, who have formed an Endangered Species band which will visit
the after-school sessions twice a term to encourage the children and run workshops.
The children will also be invited to BBC Symphony Orchestra concerts to see their
mentors performing with the full orchestra.
Post-graduate students from the Royal Academy of Music have written music for
complete beginners to play on bassoon, oboe and double-bass so that the children
have a new and exciting repertoire. The RAM students have also written pieces for
the BBC’s new Endangered Species band to perform.
Ealing Music School’s new partnership with the BBC Concert Orchestra has been
invaluable in many respects and has given the project a much stronger presence
within Ealing and beyond. The BBC brand has enhanced the profile of the project
and made it more attractive to schools, students and parents and the involvement of
professional musicians has provided the emerging new students with strong and
inspirational role models. The extra opportunities resulting from the association with
the BBC Concert Orchestra have also added value to the project and enhanced the
quality of experience for the Endangered Species instrument students and teachers.
Gloucestershire Music has been working in partnership with Cheltenham Jazz
Festival with 45 beginner trombonists being taught in a jazz context. This has already
resulted in a concert with Dennis Rollins and a specially commissioned piece from
Issie Barrett. Bolton Music Service has established an ongoing partnership with the
Halle Orchestra, with players involved in the Wider Opportunities programme and the
Orchestral Brass project and a major schools concert in the Borough.
3.10
Impact on Music Services
Endangered Species has given Music Services a boost and provided invaluable, if
limited, support in what appears to be a key area of concern for them.
The
programme had had an impact across a range of areas, but Services particularly
identified its impact in:

Providing opportunities for more young people to experience and play
Endangered Species instruments and participate in ensemble playing.

Supporting the early development of young Endangered Species players.

Opening up and extending partnership working.

Raising the profile and awareness of Endangered Species instruments.

Supporting ensemble playing and better balance within ensembles.
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Several Services commented on the raised profile for the Service, the enriched
playing experience in ensembles and the personal impact in terms of confidence and
self-esteem of young players.
‘The project has enabled more children to try and play Endangered Species
instruments. It has given the children and parents of those who are continuing to
play, a feeling of pride in the instruments they are using.’
Bromley Youth Music Trust
‘The Music Service is now able to offer access to instruments designed for the
younger student….to encourage the take-up of rare breeds.’
Dorset Music Service.
‘The whole school has become involved with the project through assemblies and
general awareness and there is a real cachet now attached to learning brass at both
schools’.
Enfield Arts Support Service.
‘The increase in profile for Endangered Species instruments has led to an increased
demand on our stock of instruments, which we have been able to meet thanks to the
programme.’
Essex Music Services
‘The project has helped to raise the profile of the Service and what it has to offer.
The schools involved have been very excited and appreciative of the provision’.’
Hackney Music Service
The Endangered Species scheme has enabled a significantly larger number of
students, irrespective of socio-economic background, to access our existing Shortage
Instrument scheme.
Isle of Wight Music Service.
‘Having the instrumental teaching staff working with whole classes and larger groups
of KS2 pupils has provided the Service with even greater credibility. Headteachers
and parents from the participating schools are already requesting more of the same.’
Wakefield Music Services
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3.11
Sustainability – Maintaining the Programme
The majority of Endangered Species programmes have provided children with
attractive packages of support, including free use of instruments, loans toward
instrument purchase, free tuition, normally for a specified period, and free attendance
in the first instance at Music schools and special events. Most Services have viewed
the Youth Music Endangered Species programme and support either as a valuable
addition to an existing Endangered Species programme within the Service, or a
kickstart to a new ongoing programme which will have a longer term impact by
generating more players year on year.
The Staffordshire Performing Arts approach is organic and typical of the approach
adopted by some Services in working towards a progressive system of development
on Endangered Species instruments. The plan involved purchase of 28 instruments
for continuing use by 28 children, with further planned purchases of 28 instruments in
Year 2 (at a cost of £44,000) to enable another 28 children to begin to learn. Tuition
will be rotated between the areas covered as the programme continues to roll out
(funds permitting).
In Enfield 12 pupils have been offered free instrument hire for up to two years as an
incentive to continuing to play. Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Service
also provides free loan of instruments and subsidised reed purchase with preferential
treatment of Endangered Species instrument players in awarding scholarships.
Nottingham offers higher levels of subsidy towards Endangered Species tuition costs
than for other instruments.
It is apparent that Endangered Species programmes will continue to require
significant resources if the programme is to be maintained in the form in which it has
been developed, with continuing batches of new players being introduced to the
instruments each year.
Having provided free tuition in the initial period (often
attracting children who could not normally afford to pay for tuition) some Services fear
that introducing tuition fees as they will have to, could reduce the numbers continuing
to play Endangered Species instruments.
The main areas of concern with regard to the continuation of the programme are
staffing costs and the cost of instrumental purchase involved with the take-up of
tuition. If we are unable to source sufficient funding to follow up the taster experience
with actual opportunities for learning an instrument, the programme may have to
close……In addition to our financial concerns, there is also the possibility that some
parents will not feel able to meet the costs of tuition.’
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Hackney Music Service.
Another particular issue is ensuring sufficient numbers of instruments to enable
players to progress whilst also meeting the needs of new players. An associated
issue is bringing back into use existing instrument stocks, some of which require
investment for repairs and maintenance. The provision of mini instruments is a key
strand of many of the programmes and few Services currently have sufficient
numbers for an expanding service.
It is evident that while the majority of Services appear to see no particular difficulty in
sustaining the programme (88% made positive comments about their ability to sustain
it), 50% cited financial problems as possible obstacles to maintaining the provision.
Some Services anticipate difficulties in maintaining and developing it without
continued external funding support (14% said that funding continued to present
problems). Southampton Music Services is an example:
‘While this was an important opportunity, unless the programme is funded over an
extended period, it will not do more than scratch the surface.
We bought mini
bassoons. At the time we put together our plan we assumed the programme would
be ongoing, offering us an opportunity to buy some short reach bassoons in a couple
of years and then some full size bassoons a couple of years after that.’
Staffordshire Performing Arts points out the implications of sustaining the programme
in its current form.
To maintain just the existing children for one more year will cost just over £12,000.
To develop the project with a further 24 children will cost an additional £20,500. To
implement the development plan in full for next year will cost £70,000 plus the costs
involved with the Minority Instrument Teaching Scheme. Staffordshire performing
Arts has financial restraints due to the rising costs of maintaining a music service…..
Quite simply it does not have the funds to continue with the Endangered Species
project.
Some Services, Gateshead for instance, already had a rolling programme of support
and see sustaining the programme as less of a problem. Solihull commented that:
‘Our minority instrument programme had long been in place before the start of the
Endangered Species scheme, but this has helped us to maintain it and extend its
scope.’
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Other Services refer to the impetus which the Endangered Species programme has
given, including raising levels of perception and awareness and by providing new
instruments to replace instruments which were in some instances (e.g. Sheffield)
‘almost beyond repair’. Some refer to using the Wider Opportunities programme, the
Standards Fund, existing tuition schemes and fundraising to ensure the continuation
of the programme, while others mention the need to increase tuition charges to
children.
As most programmes are planned as rolling programmes, it is clear that there is an
ongoing need for funding, both to purchase additional instruments and to maintain
subsidies for tuition and other support.
However, there was an overwhelming
optimism about the programme’s ability to sustain the interest and involvement of
children in playing Endangered Species instruments, despite concerns about funding.
Barnsley Music Service commented that 92% of pupils were continuing beyond the
initial scheme and Haringey stated that 44 out of 55 pupils attending taster lessons
had continued learning after the sessions had finished.
3.12
Other Music Service Comments
A number of other comments were made on the programme and the future needs of
Services. The following summarises the key points.

Many Services feel the Youth Music funding programme needs to be continued to
help them meet the ongoing financial needs, though some would like a more
flexible programme with the options for Services to define their own Endangered
Species needs rather than having such a prescribed programme.

Funding for future provision and development is a common area of concern.

A very small number of services may have other priorities.

The programme has had a significant impact on how many Services approach
Endangered Species tuition and development, particularly with regard to
encouraging new players.

There was a request that any future programme would include cello and viola.

The delays in instrument supply had clearly put back a number of programmes
and caused disruption to planned activities.
One Service criticised what it
described as the decision to promote one specific supplier which proved unable
to meet the orders for instruments in time.

The issue of the need for additional instruments and more mini instruments to
enable programmes to develop recurred in comments made.
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
In a few Services the impact of the Endangered Species programme was limited
due to the relatively small number of new instruments purchased and there was
concern about raising expectations which could not be met.

Many of the Services had concentrated their Endangered Species programmes
on one or two instruments and now wish to roll out the programme to other
instruments in the ES family.

It was suggested that a follow-up programme should fund other aspects of an
Endangered Species development programme as well as instrument purchase.

There were many comments on the impact of having new good quality
instruments and the positive effect this had on the quality and enjoyment of
playing.

One Service commented on problems with Protected Species (see below for
fuller report) and others were disappointed with the delay in supplying the bags.

Many Services said that the scheme was excellent and mentioned that they had
been inspired by the programme and were committed to its continuation.
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4.
PROTECTED SPECIES
4.1
The Programme
The Protected Species programme ran alongside Endangered Species, providing
Music Services with an agreed number of free instrument carrying cases, ‘gig bags’.
The aim was to create carrying bags which were more appealing to young people and
did not carry the stigma attached to more traditional instrument cases. Cases were
made available for the full range of Endangered Species instruments and for differing
sizes of instrument.
Youth Music experienced some difficulties in its discussions with manufacturers at the
ordering stage and eventually decided to order the bags from two suppliers, as this
was the most cost-effective option and would provide more bags for the money
available. It accepted that in going for the best value for money option it might (and
did) encounter some problems by having to deal with two suppliers. An element of
sponsorship was included involving branding of the bags.
Music Services were invited to bid for bags, stating their requirement if a maximum of
50 was to be made available, and adding a wish list indicating the ideal number they
would like if available.
Originally it had been planned to provide up to 1,500 bags to
Services (based on an outline estimate of the number which could be purchased
within the £50,000 allocation) on a first come first serve basis. It was calculated that
this would provide sufficient for 40 to 45 Services. The actual number purchased was
1,346 with 69 Services supplied.
Not all Services applied for an allocation; some Services received their full allocation
of 50 bags; others which applied later were provided with just a handful; and some
received no allocation at all. The table below illustrates the total numbers supplied in
comparison with the numbers requested.
Type
No of Bags
No of Bags
Requested
Supplied
Euphonium
370
100
French Horn
381
100
Baby French Horn
103
101
Trombone
499
150
Tuba 3 valve
209
100
Tuba 4 valve
145
100
Bassoon
377
150
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Oboe
302
150
Cello ¼
169
50
Cello ½
296
50
Cello ¾
333
50
Double Bass 1/8
34
28
Double Bass 1/4
121
135
Double Bass 1/2
197
140
3,536
1,346
Total
As with some of the Endangered Species instruments there were considerable delays
with supplies of the bags (due to a variety of factors), some arriving up to eight
months after the planned date. While there was general appreciation of the bags,
there was some irritation within Music Services at the delay and, in one instance, it
was stated that the wrong bags were provided and were of no use to the Service.
Another commented:
‘The gig bags arrived last month and last week! They will therefore have no impact
until the next school year starts. This is a pity as we have instruments that are in store
waiting for cases and we have had to purchase other cases for some instruments to
get them into use.’
In retrospect Youth Music accepts that the timescale for production and distribution of
the bags (September 2004) may have been too short and that it would have been
better to allow longer in view of the process involved, including the need to produce
branded samples.
It was evident that some delays were due to circumstances
outside the control of Youth Music (an industrial dispute for instance).
Despite the appreciation of the bags by those Services which received them, it is
noticeable that there is a great disparity between the numbers supplied (which ranged
from 1 to 50). The total expenditure was £51,080, a saving against the retail price of
£121,630 and an average cost per bag of £38. The proportion of Music Services
which received awards and at least one bag was 77.5% (69 music services) instead
of only 50.6% (45), had the distribution been based on the allocated budget alone.
The considerable discount against the retail price is strong justification for the
programme, and it would undoubtedly prove beneficial for Music Services to work
together to buy in bulk in the future.
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5.
CONCLUSIONS
5.1
Key Findings
The aims of Youth Music and the Endangered Species programme are set out in
Section 2 above and we shall look at the success of the programme in relation to
those aims.
5.1.1
Meeting Youth Music Aims
Access – providing those with least opportunity accessible ways into music-making
and opportunities to progress.
The programme has had an emphasis on providing opportunities for children and
young people to engage with it at various levels (experiencing the instruments, having
an experience of playing and developing skills). Most Services have adopted an
approach aimed at reaching large numbers of children. As a result an estimated
450,000 children participated at the first level and in excess of 28,000 had an
experience of playing the instrument.
This has been achieved by Music Services adopting an open access policy to the
programme; promoting it to large numbers of children and offering opportunities to
learn to play the instruments with free tuition and instrument loan, normally for a
specified period.
Many of the Services have specifically addressed the programme
to schools in deprived areas and some Endangered Species programmes have been
linked to existing Wider Opportunities programmes, adding to its impact in widening
access.
Overall 15% of the children taking part in the programme were from non-White ethnic
minority categories with 72% aged 11 and under. In Haringey for example, 55% of
the children participating were from non-White ethnic categories, of whom 27% were
Black African or Black Caribbean. In Nottingham 52% were from non-White ethnic
categories, with 17% of Pakistani origin and 14% of Black Caribbean origin.
A few Services have targeted their programmes at existing ensemble players, but the
majority have pursued an open access policy, providing demonstration and taster
days to whole schools and large groups. Some Services have done both, supported
existing players whilst opening up opportunities for new players by handing down old
instruments. It is evident from the comments made in our survey returns and from the
case studies, that the programme has attracted many children and young people from
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less well-off and deprived backgrounds who have not had the opportunity to play an
instrument previously. Nottingham City Music Service was typical of a number of the
Services and commented:
‘The Endangered Species programme has given opportunities to children who
wouldn’t normally have had that chance to play lesser known instruments.’
The purchase of small-sized instruments has been a very positive feature of the
programme enabling many of the Services to engage younger children with
Endangered Species instruments for the first time and supporting new ways of
working to encourage younger players.
The programme has therefore been
particularly successful in engaging young children and the benefits are likely to
become clearer as (and provided) the programmes are maintained.
It is difficult to be certain yet about the extent to which the programmes will maintain
their reach in terms of socio-economic and cultural access, and there are concerns in
some areas that once charging is introduced there could be fall-out. The challenge
now is to maintain the interest and engagement of children and young people from
less well-off and deprived backgrounds once the financial support (e.g. free
instrument loan and tuition) made available through the programme has ended, as it
will in some of the Services. Some Services are trying to ensure that continuing
programmes of support are available to counter this possibility and allocating or
securing other funding. This should be monitored over the next few years.
This is a real problem, highlighted in comments from several Music Services. As an
ongoing strategic development programme it would make little sense if Endangered
Species was considered a one-year programme. Many Services have commented
that it will only be possible to fully evaluate its effectiveness in two to three years time
when young players begin to make a real impact on ensemble playing.
It is essential that consideration is given to sustaining the programme and that,
despite the general optimism about future sustainability among Services, there is
continued access to funding to enable the Services to build up their instrument stocks
and maintain their support, particularly for children and young people from deprived
backgrounds.
In view of the fact that Endangered Species instruments are not, almost by definition,
popular instruments, and the barriers to promoting them (not least the actual cost of
purchasing the instruments), it has to be recognised that the majority of Music
Services have made strenuous and laudable efforts to widen access through the
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programme. The test will be whether they can sustain the breadth of involvement if
they have to introduce a more commercial approach to charging in order to sustain
the programmes.
Breadth – supporting music-making of all styles.
The nature of the Endangered Species programme and the types of instruments
included were such that the programme had a natural link to the western classical
musical tradition. It is nevertheless apparent that the range of compositions available
for the instruments, particularly for beginners and Endangered Species ensemble
playing, was very limited. There were therefore two challenges in terms of stylistic
range: extending the repertoire beyond its natural boundaries; and creating new work
for the instruments.
There were however differences between instruments in the Endangered Species
family.
Trombones are a natural component in jazz and some Services ran
programmes with a strong focus on this strand of music making. Similarly there were
more opportunities to use the double bass in jazz and other types of music outside
the western classical tradition.
A small number of Services (Hammersmith and
Fulham and Kirklees for example) developed their own resources and included a
compositional element in their projects.
It was also evident that Services were working to extend the repertoire available to
their orchestras and bands.
By having a more balanced ensemble due to the
strengthening of bass lines, they were able to explore new forms of music which had
previously been outside their range. Several services mentioned using music from
television adverts and popular music familiar to young people as ways of extending
the repertoire and exploring a wider range of musical types. There was however little
evidence of the Endangered Species instruments being used in non-western music.
There is clearly a need for a wider variety of work available to Endangered Species
instruments,
particularly
for
ensemble
playing
and
beginners
and
further
consideration of this is required.
Coverage – ensuring opportunities are available in all localities and targeting those
where little music-making has occurred previously.
Endangered Species has achieved an impressive spread nationally, though there
appears to have been a lower level of activity in three regions, the East Midlands,
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Eastern and South West regions, and a high level of activity in London. There is an
excellent balance overall between metropolitan, rural and urban based Services.
Quality – securing high standards for all.
Improving quality was at the heart of the Endangered Species programme as its
prime intention was to promote the range of instruments to young people and children
and encourage and support them in learning and continuing to play the instruments
and develop skills.
The programme is of particular significance in relation to
orchestral and other ensemble playing within Music Service provision and addressed
a specific concern related to the quality of ensemble playing due to the shortage of
Endangered Species instruments in ensembles.
Many of the Services commented on the impact of the programme on the playing
experience of individuals who had been given new replacement instruments and that
both the quality of playing and enthusiasm levels had increased with the arrival of
new instruments. Salford Music and Performing Arts Service was particularly pleased
with the improved standards of playing by established players, particularly on
bassoon where new instruments had been introduced.
‘The ES programme has encouraged some students to begin playing instruments but
it has also given some who were playing the older instruments a new lease of life
(especially the bassoon) and the standard of their performance has shot up.’
Salford Music and Performing Arts Service.
They also referred to the impact on ensembles of strengthening their base lines.
Barnsley and Northamptonshire both pointed out the great impact which the
programme was having on their ensembles with certain instruments, such as the
French horn being introduced to orchestras after years without players. Warwickshire
Music Service stated that the programme was:
‘Essential in creating balanced groups in ensembles such as orchestras, wind bands
and brass bands. This is very valuable for all children within an ensemble, not only
those playing endangered instruments.’
The impact on the whole orchestra or band experience and playing was also
commented on by Cumbria.
‘The main impact of the ES programme is the way in which the provision of new
instruments has enabled instrumental groups to create more balanced ensemble
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performances. The initiative has allowed players to make the best of a whole new
range of instrumental timbres.’
Cumbria Learning Support Music Service
Sheffield commented that:
‘Ensembles are starting to become more fulfilling to other members who play the
popular instruments as they now “hear what the composer intended”.’
The impact on quality will increase over time as many Services are still at an early
stage of implementation of the programme and the work with young players and
beginners will take some time to feed through into ensemble playing. The challenge
will be to maintain the momentum of the programme and ensure that young players
are retained.
Overall there has been high praise for the Endangered Species programme and the
positive impact it was having on the work of Music Services, especially in recruiting
new and younger players.
Apart from the instrument delivery problems which
affected many (though a minority of) Services, the programme appears to have been
implemented successfully.
5.1.2
Meeting the Aims of the Programme
The key aims of the Endangered Species programme are:

To promote the instruments to children and young people

To get more instruments into service

To start more children and young people playing these instruments

To retain the interest of those children and young people already playing.
There is considerable evidence that the programme has achieved against all of the
above aims, though its success in retaining interest will require monitoring over an
extended period. As mentioned earlier in this report, Services are very optimistic
about the sustainability of the programme and its ability to retain new players, though
several make reference to the need for continuing funding if this is to be achieved.
The numbers of children and young people who have had an experience of
Endangered Species instruments and of playing them through the programme speaks
for itself and there are some good examples of Services (Essex for instance) where
young people’s perception of the instrument has been radically changed.
Some
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Services promoted the instruments very positively, informing parents of their value
and unique qualities and emphasising how fortunate children were to have the
opportunity to play them.
The range of young people involved in playing has been extended and partnerships
with orchestras, bands, colleges and other music agencies has added an additional
appeal and cachet to the instruments, resulting in much greater interest and an
appreciation of their special qualities. The introduction of jazz and other forms of
music has helped to broaden their appeal. All of this has increased awareness and
interest among young people.
There is also evidence that many instruments have been brought back into use,
largely due to the increased demand as a result of the promotions and taster
activities. Ealing Music School purchased 24 instruments with Endangered Species
funding support but generated 55 new players, meeting the additional demand by
using instruments in stock but not in use at the time. Most Services were able to
bring unused instruments back into service and some purchased additional
instruments to meet the demand.
However, it is also clear that many Services have stocks of instruments which are in
need of repair or replacement and that the ability of Services to respond to the
increased demand for instruments will be a defining aspect of the successful
continuation of the programme.
It would be ironic and unfortunate if, having
challenged the negative perceptions of the instruments and generated interest
Services were unable to respond to the enthusiasm for instruments due to lack of
supply.
There are two main areas of concern. If Services continue to loan out instruments to
players they will require additional instruments for the next wave of beginners; they
will also need sufficient instruments to meet the demand for replacement and to
purchase full-size instruments as students progress. Stoke on Trent Music Service
makes this point.
‘Developing what we have started – we already need to purchase full double horns,
as many of the students are outgrowing the Kinderhorns we purchased. The tubas
will also need to be replaced with larger instruments, as well as the short reach
bassoons. We would also like to purchase more of the oboes which have started to
revitalise double reed teaching in Stoke on Trent.’
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It is imperative that additional funding streams are identified to enable this growth and
development to continue.
The need for a continuing programme of instrument
purchase is a particularly acute given the high cost of Endangered Species
instruments, prohibitive to many families, and the need to retain young players from
deprived and less well-off families.
5.3
Conclusion
The programme has been an outstanding success, not only in encouraging young
people to play, but significantly has enthused teaching staff who are now actively
promoting these instruments’.
Nottinghamshire Arts Support Service.
Endangered Species has been an outstanding success, despite the considerable
problems which arose over instrument supply (particularly tubas and bassoons) which
delayed the implementation of a number of programmes and caused some Services
a great deal of disruption and annoyance. In the main Services which had been
affected by delivery problems simply postponed programmes or changed their plans
to enable them to progress. As a result, a number of Services are still at a relatively
early stage of implementation.
This apart, the programme has delivered against all of its aims and objectives,
particularly in promoting Endangered Species instruments to many more children and
young people and encouraging more to take up the instruments. It has widened
access, involving large numbers of young people from ethnic minority backgrounds
and reaching children who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to play such
an instrument.
Endangered Species has been a niche programme addressing a specific area of
need largely within the western musical tradition, but the programme is only one
strand of Youth Music’s wide range of work across a variety of musical forms. The
programme has however contributed to and been used alongside the Wider
Opportunities programme, extending access to instrument playing to more young
people.
The programme has provided valuable support for a key strand of Music Service
programme development and influenced the ways in which some Services work,
particularly with regard to introducing instruments to young players and encouraging
them to continue to learn.
It has resulted in some exciting partnerships with
orchestras, music education bodies and a variety of other agencies, raising the profile
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of their work and bringing new energies and ideas into instrumental teaching. It has
provided a vehicle for recruiting new tutors and extending tuition.
The programme has improved the quality of Endangered Species instrument playing
experience for many individual young people and helped to raise their standards, but
it has also had a significant impact on the enjoyment and quality of playing across
ensemble playing by strengthening orchestras and bands, improving the balance and
standard of playing and, to a more limited extent, extending the types of music being
played. In some areas, repertoire for example, it has highlighted the need to address
the needs of Endangered Species instruments through new composition and
resource development.
However, Endangered Species must be an ongoing programme of development; it
cannot be a one-off fix. The work which has been stimulated, in many instances
building on programmes already in place within Music Services, must be continued
and will only fully bear fruit in two to three years time as new players develop and the
full impact is felt within ensembles. Despite the optimism within Music Services that
the programmes can be sustained, there is also an underlying threat.
‘If the programme continues to develop and grow as expected there will be problems
in purchasing enough instruments to meet demand and we will have to be selective
over which schools and young people we can offer opportunities to.’
Brighton and Hove Music School
Without continuing access to funds with which to purchase more instruments and
finance the support measures which have been implemented and tried out through
the programme, there is a real danger that the programme will falter, that young
people from less well-off families will drop out of the programme due to lack of
financial resource, and that the expectations which have been raised through the
recruitment of new players, will lead to disappointment for many young people.
It is vitally important that the programme leaves a legacy and that there is continuing
support for young players to encourage them to retain interest in the instruments
beyond their school years. Some Music Services do encourage young players to
continue their involvement with orchestras and bands after they have left school.
One option would be to establish an instrument purchase scheme providing loans to
young players.
The programme has been tested and shown to be effective. The need now is for the
agencies involved with education and the support of music for young people to come
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together to find the means of ensuring that the programme can continue. The young
people and children who have experienced Endangered Species and who have made
the commitment to the programme deserve no less.
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6.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The primary aim of these few recommendations is to ensure that the Endangered
Species programme can continue to grow and develop.
There are no plans at
present for Youth Music to extend the programme; it does not have the resources
available. These recommendations focus therefore on the measures which might
help to sustain Endangered Species instrument development within an educational
context.
1. The Endangered Species programme should be monitored and evaluated further
nationally to provide a means of assessing its effectiveness over a three to five
year period.
In particular its impact in widening access and increasing the
number of players continuing to learn should be evaluated after an initial threeyear period.
2. Further funding for the programme is required. All agencies involved with schools
music provision, including the Federation of Music Services, Department for
Education and Skills and Youth Music, should consider ways of securing
additional funding to provide further ongoing support.
3. The repertoire for Endangered Species instruments is limited as are teaching
resources for beginners. The above agencies should also consider how they
might support the development of new commissions and other measures to
enhance the Endangered Species repertoire.
4. Further investment in instruments will be required if the programme it to grow
sustainably.
In particular there is a need for mini instruments for beginners.
Measures to assist Music Services in providing a continuum of instruments
should be considered within the context of the above.
5. Should additional funding become available, consideration should be given to a
flexible approach to Endangered Species instrument support, enabling individual
Services to identify their particular instrument and developmental needs and
make application on the basis of their own programmes and particular needs.
6. Consideration should also be given in any future programme to support for other
minority instruments outside the Endangered Species family, including the cello
and viola.
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7. Funded orchestras and music agencies should be encouraged to continue their
support for Endangered Species instruments through partnerships with the
education sector.
8. Endangered Species has been linked with the Wider Opportunities programme in
several Music Service programmes. Where possible and appropriate the work
should be integrated with other programmes and an Endangered Species
element contained within other funded programmes.
9. The possible impact on the instrument supply market of any future instrument
support scheme should be carefully considered to avoid delays in instrument
supply and the disruption to programme plans. Options such as phasing, and
alternative purchase models might be considered.
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Endangered Species
Evaluation
Phase 2 Report
APPENDICES
Artservice
October 2005
Old Court
Winforton
Hereford
HR3 6EA
Tel: 01544 327877
Fax: 01544 327772
e-mail:artserv@kc3.co.uk
www.artservice.org.uk
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CONTENTS
APPENDICES
I
Consultation List
II
Case Study Reports
III
Instrument Purchase and Age Group Balance
IV
Detailed Analysis of Survey Returns
V
Music Services Receiving Endangered Species Awards
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Appendix I
Consultation List
Sean Butler, Music Teacher, Villiers High School
Ben Cole, Principal Officer, Policy and Programmes Department, Youth Music
Rebecca Coulthard, Fundraising and Project Support Officer, Kirklees Music School
Yogesh Dattani, Head of Service, Ealing Music Service
Susan Ellis, Music Service Team Leader, Learning Support Music (Cumbria)
Pat France, Music Teacher, Kirklees Music School
Phil Garlick, Music Teacher, Kirklees Music School
John Ginnell, Assistant Head of Service, Barnsley Performing Arts Service
Stuart Green, Senior Woodwind Tutor (double reed specialist), Suffolk County Music Service
Mathew Gunn, Head of Service, CEMA
Peter Hayward, Learning Manager, BBC Concert Orchestra
Rachel Ireland, Executive Officer Operations Department, Youth Music
Jennifer McKie, Music Service Co-ordinator, Hammersmith & Fulham Music Service
Thomas Meredith, Principal, Kirklees Music School
Richard Milton, Head of Music Service, Salford Music and Performing Arts Service
Norman Owen, County Music Tutor (N. Suffolk)/General Manager, North Suffolk Music Centre
Carolyn Sewell, Woodwind and Brass Co-ordinator, Ealing Music Service
Philip Shaw, County Adviser for Music and Head of Suffolk County Music Service
Sally Stote, Director of Operations, Youth Music
Ibrahim Taguri, Executive Officer, Fundraising and Development Department, Youth Music
Terence Tajada, Operations Assistant, Youth Music
John Treherne, Head of Music Service, Gateshead Schools Music Service
Stephanie Williams, Executive Officer, Operations Department, Youth Music
Francesca, Eleanor, Jonathan and Lucy – young ES players, Suffolk County Music Service
Rita, Gurprwa, Fardowsa, Baraj, Adjit - ES bassoon students from Villiers High School
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Appendix II
Case Study Reports
Kirklees Music School (KMS)
Case Study Format
The case study consisted of a day long visit to Huddersfield to talk to Kirklees Music School
staff and pupils and attend practical sessions involving ES instruments. The visit took place
in May 2005 and consisted of the following.
Meetings with:
Rebecca Coulthard, Fundraising and Project Support Officer, Kirklees Music School
Thomas Meredith, Principal, Kirklees Music School
Pat France, Music Teacher, Kirklees Music School
Phil Garlick, Music Teacher, Kirklees Music School
Visits to:
Outlane Junior School
Huddersfield Music Centre
Attendance at:
Junior school KS3 instrumental tuition session
Junior Band rehearsal
Intermediate Wind Band rehearsal
Senior Wind Band rehearsal
Service Profile
Kirklees Music School is a charitable independent music service which formerly operated as
part of the Education Department. The School operates seven music centres, five of which
are based in schools. Huddersfield Music Centre is located in a building purchased by the
organisation in 2004 which will be refurbished to provide the Music School with a central
rehearsal and administration base. The School has an annual turnover of £1.6m (03/04) of
which £694,000 is provided by the local authority. It has a staff of around eighty, of whom
seven are Music Co-ordinators, six are Administrators and three are Managers.
The
remaining staff are peripatetic music teachers.
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The School aims to promote and support the highest quality music education for all through
curriculum support in schools (primary and secondary) and offering instrumental tuition. As
well as focusing on the individual, instrumental tuition provides the opportunity of a wider
musical experience through participation in ensembles, bands, orchestras and choirs. The
Music School offers tuition in brass; guitar; keyboard; percussion; piano; singing; strings; and
woodwind. It offers individual or group tuition. Ensemble playing is a key part of the Schools’
work and there is a wide variety of ensembles. While there is a strong emphasis on classical,
wind and brass, there is also a World Music percussion group, steel band and samba band.
The Service offers free loan for a range of instruments and free tuition to schools with high
levels of deprivation.
Kirklees Music School supplies support services to 193 of the 196 schools in the Borough and
involves around 7,600 children in its annual activities. Of these around 4,600 receive tuition
which is paid for by their parents with the remainder receiving tuition paid for by the schools.
A total of 4,147 children at Key Stage 2 receive regular instrumental tuition, which represents
about 20% of the total at this stage. 1,640 children regularly attend ensembles.
The Music School is currently promoting its services to schools as part of the move towards
new arrangements in schools for Preparation, Performance and Assessment (PPA – resulting
from the Government’s workforce reform initiative). Under the new arrangements all teachers
will be given a period of time each week (10%) away from classroom duties. Kirklees M.B.C.
has allocated funding to enable schools to buy in additional support to enable these changes
to go ahead and the Music School is offering schools additional music activity.
Kirklees Music School’s aims are to:

Raise the musical attainment of pupils.

Support pupils in acquiring skills which will allow them to enjoy and become actively
involved in a wide range of musical experiences contributing to the musical life of the
school or community.

Promote pupil's understanding of music in the everyday life of their own and other
cultures.

Enable pupils to realise their musical potential through the playing of a musical
instrument.

Encourage self confidence and develop a sense of personal achievement and self
expression in pupils.
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The Music School has received a number of previous awards from Youth Music, including
support for a Wider Opportunities programme aimed at increasing access to music and
£20,000 of support towards instrument repair and refurbishment.
The Endangered Species Project
The aim of the Endangered Species project was to increase the number of players of
Endangered Species instruments. This was to be achieved through two means: purchasing
new high quality instruments for experienced players; and introducing new starter players by
offering them the opportunity to learn Endangered Species instruments. It was intended that
instruments would be handed down by experienced players receiving new replacement
instruments.
The project was designed to address three of the identified challenges facing the Service:

Fulfilling the aspirations of all school children wishing to access instrumental and
vocal tuition.

Being able to offer loan instruments to all pupils who require one.

Developing balanced ensembles in all instruments.
At the time of the application the Music School was teaching 150 children on ES instruments,
of whom the majority were playing trombone (53), euphonium and baritone horn (39), and
oboe (22). Problems which were identified in the application were:

Parents were not able to afford ES instruments.

The existing stock of ES instruments was old and of poor quality.

Most of the double basses were 3/4 and 4/4 – too big for Junior School pupils.

Parents were unaware of the option for children to learn ES instruments.
The key main elements of the project were:

Encouraging more take-up of ES instruments at Music Centres.

Free loan of instruments.

Low cost lessons – from £15 a term.

Encouraging all clarinet and saxophone players to consider tuition on the bassoon.

Promoting the instruments through recital teams and ensembles.
A key aim was to support advanced players in improving their playing by providing them with
better quality instruments whilst also providing new opportunities for starter players.
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The School has an ongoing commitment to promoting ES instrument playing and runs regular
taster days for Endangered Species instruments at which experienced players from schools
perform and demonstrate the instruments.
150 schools in the District have had taster
experiences. It also demonstrates ES instruments through its own tutor ensembles. ES
players are crucial to maintaining balanced ensembles and thereby ensuring a satisfactory
playing experience.
The Service has also been tackling the issue of transition between Junior and Secondary
schools by running brass days involving older players, workshops and concerts. This has
been aided by the pyramid schooling system in which some teachers work across the two
tiers.
Finance
As an independent music service, KMS relies heavily on the income it generates through its
activities and states that it has limited resources to invest in new instruments. The financial
contribution to the programme was provided by parent teacher groups at each of the
participating music centres and the new instruments were distributed via the centres. Kirklees
Music School contributed £1,758 towards the purchase of two short reach bassoons. As the
total number of instruments to be purchased was 19, this meant that each of the six
participating centres was to receive 2-3 instruments. All the instruments were provided on
loan to the pupils at no cost.
VAT was an important issue for Kirklees Music School as it was unable to reclaim the VAT
element on its purchases. As the VAT element of purchase costs could not be included in the
ES application this had the effect of decreasing the overall percentage contribution of the
Youth Music award. The award of £13,148 represented 62% of the actual cost to the Music
School, rather than the maximum of 75% allowable.
The Instruments
The School applied for funding to support the purchase of 19 instruments at a total cost of
£18,043. Music Centres were asked to identify which instruments from the ES list they would
like and the application list was assembled centrally by the Music School. Estimates were
obtained from a number of suppliers and the instruments were purchased from two of these
with sizeable discounts against the recommended retail prices.
The instruments ordered were:
2 x ¼ bass (student)
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1 x ½ bass
1 x ¼ bass (conservatoire)
1 EEb 4 valve tuba
4 x 4 valve euphoniums
1 tuba
1 French Horn
2 baritone horns
4 trombones
2 short reach bassoons
The School has an existing stock of ES instruments, the majority of which are out on loan, but
has a modest supply of instruments which are not currently in use and available for loan.
Many of its instruments are however in poor condition.
In addition the Service requested 50 gig bags (with a wish list of 88).
Project Implementation
The project was designed to integrate with existing services with new replacement
instruments provided to advanced pupils as they became available and new tuition sessions
for starter players as instruments were freed up. With just 19 instruments being purchased
the reach of the project in terms of numbers was always going to be limited in a Service
catering for over 7,000 young people.
It was important for the Service that it was able to plan new instrumental sessions for starter
players into the timetable at the beginning of the autumn term 2004, however the nature of
the programme meant that some phasing was possible. Instruments were ordered in June
2004, but there were considerable delays in supplying the instruments. By September only
the trombones and two double basses had been supplied; other instruments arrived between
January and April 2005. The short reach bassoons have still not been delivered almost a
year after the date they were ordered.
The majority of the instruments ordered were replacements and the main impact of their late
delivery was that new players could not begin to learn as soon as anticipated. However the
Music School had anticipated possible delays and the impact of late delivery was somewhat
mitigated by the phased introduction approach.
The continuing programme of taster sessions proceeded as planned making use of existing
instruments from stock.
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Project Outputs
Despite the above setback, and the fact that the programme is still at a relatively early stage
of implementation, it has already increased the numbers of players of ES instruments with a
total of 175 pupils now playing, an increase of 25 (17%).
Number of ES Players
Instrument
Spring 04
Spring 05
% increase
French horn
13
13
0
Trombone
53
56
5.5
Tuba
11
14
27
Euphonium/baritone horn
39
42
8
Oboe
22
31
41
Bassoon
10
9
-10
Double Bass
4
10
150
150
175
17
Total
As can be seen from the table above, there have already been significant increases in the
number of players of tuba, oboe and double bass with increases across all of the categories
apart from bassoons.
A key achievement of the programme to date has been the strengthening of ensembles. This
is of critical importance to the Service, which used to run seven orchestras, one at each of its
music centres, and now runs just one at its central music centre. Maintaining the balance of
ensembles has been an ongoing problem and though certain ES instruments remain relatively
popular in this area with its traditional of brass bands (trombones and tubas in particular),
there have been significant gaps within youth orchestras and ensembles.
For instance neither of the two string ensembles which use the central music centre had
double bass players and there were inadequate numbers of wind players in most of the
ensembles. There were only two French horn players in the District. The introduction of
more ES instrument players will enable the repertoire to be extended and raise the standard
of ensemble playing by strengthening the bass line. Furthermore, as more young players
begin to learn the instrument there are increasing opportunities for pupils to play ES
instruments together rather than in isolation.
The established repertoire for ES instruments tends to come from the western and American
music traditions, and Kirklees Music School is trying to address this by introducing other
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musical genres, through an ‘Around the World, brass demonstration session for example, and
by developing its own tutors.
The ES programme has not made a significant impact on the number of ES instrument
teachers in Kirklees as it has been possible to meet the additional demand from within the
Service’s existing teachers.
Case Study Visit Observations
Due to the dispersal of the ES instruments purchased it was difficult to gauge the overall
impact of the programme on the Service, indeed it was difficult even to see the instruments
purchased as those which had been delivered had already been distributed to players. It was
unclear which of the instruments being used in the band rehearsal sessions attended were
new ES purchases.
The first session attended involved small group tuition with younger pupils aged 8 to 9 (up to
three) on French horns and euphonium/baritone horns. One group had been learning the
instruments for a year, the second for just six weeks. The children were playing instruments
from the Music School’s own stock, which appeared to be full sized (and rather well used).
The starter pupils had been introduced to the instruments through a taster session and had
expressed an interest in playing as a result. It was estimated that around 12 to 14 new
players of ES instruments had been attracted as a result of the initiative. The tuition with the
above groups was at a fundamental level, but the pupils clearly found the instruments
interesting and challenging.
Attendance at Junior, Intermediate and senior wind band practices provided an excellent
opportunity to experience the development and progression of playing skills which was taking
place. In each instance it was evident that there was scope for further strengthening of bass
line instrument playing, (while clarinets and flutes were in strong evidence). For instance
there was no bassoon player in either the Junior or Senior bands. There had been just one
euphonium player in both the Intermediate and Senior bands, but the ES award had enabled
an increase to three players at senior level. It was reported that there were only two Senior
French horn players in the District. The Senior band demonstrated high levels of technical
ability, playing a repertoire which included popular music (Andrew Lloyd Webber on this
occasion) providing good opportunities for ES instrument players.
The Music School was considering creating a First Blow wind band using the Band Method of
teaching (with DVD teaching support aids). There was also a wish from one tutor to run a
pilot project with a whole class playing wind instruments.
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Discussions with officers and teachers from the Music School revealed strong support for
work on ES instrument development, but also a recognition that the underlying challenge was
that of extending musical opportunities to a wider range of pupils and to more young people.
The policy of universal entitlement, which has growing currency within the schools sector and
is supported by Kirklees M.B.C. emphasises the need for all pupils to have access to musical
experiences (among other arts experiences). The Music School has therefore to try and
extend its opportunities to more young people.
This has implications in terms of the number of musical instruments required and while
maintaining and extending the number of ES players has a high priority, a further priority for
the Music School is increasing its stock of instruments and bringing more of its existing stock
back into use.
It was commented that while the ES programme had provided a valuable opportunity to focus
on this aspect of provision and development, there was a case for a Music Service funding
support programme which addressed the individual needs of Services, rather than one which
has a central policy focus. For instance, in the case of Kirklees, there were particular needs
in respect of extending opportunity by increasing the volume of work; finding teachers for
specific areas of tuition such as steel pan and Asian music; and bringing existing instruments
back into commission. Increasing the numbers of popular instruments would be critical to
extending instrumental opportunities.
Conclusions
The Kirklees Music School programme has represented a strategic intervention in an area of
need with impact across the Service’s ensemble playing. This is an area which had been
identified as critical in terms of the quality of experience for young players, both in terms of
the quality of individual ES instruments being used and in terms of the quality of sound being
produced by the relevant bands, which had experienced a shortage of players on ES
instruments.
Some existing instruments have been freed up to allow more younger players to learn ES
instruments and it is evident that this has resulted in increased numbers of ES instruments
being played across the School’s activities. The programme will build on the earlier Wider
Opportunities programme which extended access and link in with its ongoing programme of
promoting ES instruments.
The project has widened the range of music which can be played effectively but has probably
not in itself had a significant impact on the breadth and diversity of musical experience in
terms of music from a variety if cultures. To some extent this is unlikely given the nature of
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the instruments and their relationship to orchestral and band music from the western tradition.
However, the Service does attempt to offer a variety of music forms and traditions across its
work.
The programme is sustainable within existing resources as it dovetails with existing practice
and the additional tuition required can be met within the School’s existing staff resource. The
Kirklees ES programme is unlikely however to have a major impact overall on numbers of
pupils playing instruments as it has only purchased 19 new instruments. If it is to extend
opportunity to many more young people it will need to continue to encourage young people to
play instruments through the kinds of taster programme it has been running, to bring more of
its existing instrument stock back into use and to increase the number of instruments it has
available.
However, the ES programme will have a noticeable impact on ensemble playing and will help
to ensure that existing bands are able to play a broad repertoire at a higher standard while
introducing ES instruments to a new generation of children. It should have a major influence
on the quality of ensemble playing and that should encourage more young people to become
involved and to maintain their involvement.
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Ealing Music Service (EMS)
Case Study Format
The case study consisted of two day-long visits to Ealing to talk to Ealing Music Service. One
of the days involved attendance at an ES planning meeting and a mini conference hosted
jointly by EMS with its ES partner, the BBC Concert Orchestra and targetted at local music
providers, other London-based music services and key ES partners including Youth Music
and the Association of British Orchestra. This visit took place in March 2005. The second
day involved talking to EMS and BBC CO staff, ES pupils and parents and observation of a
practical session involving the instruments (bassoons). This visit took place in July 2005 and
consisted of the following:
Meetings with
Yogesh Dattani, Head of Service
Carolyn Sewell, Woodwind and Brass Co-ordinator
Peter Hayward, Learning Manager, BBC Concert Orchestra
Sean Butler, Music Teacher, Villiers High School
Rita, Gurprwa, Fardowsa, Baraj, Adjit - ES bassoon students from Villiers High School
Two parents of the students
Visits to:
Ealing Music Centre
Villiers High School
Attendance at:
Bassoon instrumental tuition session
Service profile
Ealing Music Service is part of the London Borough of Ealing’s Education Service and was reestablished in September 2000 after a period of ten years when there was no LEA music
provision at all in Ealing. Initially the Service was part of the Council’s Arts and Cultural
Services but as a result of an internal review/restructuring process, it is now part of in the
Ealing Education Service and this is felt to be a positive development by EMS.
The population of the Borough is approximately 314,000 and data from the 2001 Census
indicates it is the third largest borough in London. There is a broad cultural mix and in 2001
the breakdown of population in this respect included approximately 45% White British, 25%
Asian/Asian British and 9% Black/Black British. EMS has made considerable efforts to reach
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the culturally diverse community it serves and represent its music. This is reflected in the
cultural mix of students receiving instrumental/vocal tuition which in July 2005 included 41%
White British, 21% Asian/Asian British and 11% Black/Black British.
The Service has a
particularly strong track record in Asian Music and holds an annual Asian Music Summer
School, offers tuition in a range of Asian instruments and has two Asian instrumental
ensembles.
As a relatively young service, EMS views itself as forward thinking and is keen to continually
challenge its approach, develop its provision and broaden its horizons. It is also seeking to
work collaboratively with other music providers within and beyond Ealing, particularly other
music services and this ethos was reflected in the approach to the ES mini conference hosted
by EMS.
EMS had a total income of £649,923 in 2004/05 with £335,508 through the DfES Music
Standards Fund and with £269,912 paid directly by schools. The remaining income came
from various sources, mainly grants, including a Youth Music award (Music Maker
programme). The Service currently receives no funding from the London Borough of Ealing
although some provision was made annually until 2003/04 (£22,000 in 03/04). This is as a
result of the Borough’s ongoing review and if, as part of the review, the Service is able to
demonstrate sufficient efficiency, there will be scope for it to make a case for funding in future.
The Service has four part-time teachers (including a Strings Co-ordinator, Woodwind and
Brass Co-ordinator, Singing and Primary Co-ordinator and Guitar, Drums and IT consultant)
and 52 teachers paid on an hourly basis. It supplies tuition and instruments to approximately
3150 students attending 60 of the 75 schools in the Borough with the majority of these being
at Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 (81%) and with 14% having Special Educational Needs. 67
(2%) regularly participate in ensemble activity on a borough wide basis.
The largest proportion of the work of the Service is the provision of instrumental/vocal tuition
in schools during curriculum time and in groups of no more than four for a half-hour period.
The breadth of provision includes the usual string, brass and woodwind instruments, guitar
(acoustic and electric), keyboard and piano, recorder, sitar, tabla, steel pans, santoor, African
drums and voice. Schools are charged for provision but this is undertaken on the basis of the
ability to pay of each school’s parental body. Each student is able to loan a quality instrument
at the cost of £6 per term. The Service has a large stock of instruments as a high proportion
of its Standards Fund between 2000 and 2002 was for buying instruments, rather than tuition.
The Service has encouraged its schools to develop after school ensembles, orchestras and
choirs in order to provide collaborative music making opportunities and to sustain the interest
of students. These were initially led by EMS co-ordinators but now more tutors are becoming
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skilled in leading these ensembles, often with a high proportion of beginners. There are also
seven borough-wide ensembles/orchestras and there is a modest charge for participating in
these although a remissions policy supports those who are unable to pay.
Five of the
ensembles are available to students already having weekly instrumental lessons and two are
for students not required to have lessons other than the ensemble session itself.
All
members of these groups are required to perform at All Together Now! , a concert specifically
for these ensembles as part of EMS’s annual World Music Festival.
One way EMS promotes instrumental learning to schools in the borough is through its annual
summer tours initiative which has a varying programme from year to year. This has proved
very popular amongst schools and application criteria are becoming more strategic resulting
in applications from some schools wishing to promote and recruit pupils for particular
instruments. To date tours have included a focus on Double Reeds, Wind Quintet and Brass
Quintet. These resulted in a number of new students including approximately 10 on ES
instruments.
The Service does not have its own Saturday Music School as there are already four
independent centres operating in the Borough. EMS is keen to work in partnership with these
organisations and to date has established such links with Questors Young Musicians Club
and is currently in discussion with the London College of Music and Media.
There is a strong emphasis on singing because of its easy access and availability and the
Singing and Primary Co-ordinator, who is an Advanced Skills Teacher in this respect,
provides outreach support free of charge to those schools in the Borough that request this
service. EMS is also working in partnership with the Ealing Schools Music Association which
has presented two annual singing festivals for many years. EMS focuses its support each
Spring on schools that want to take part but are lacking in confidence and experience.
EMS participated in the Wider Opportunities programme (Key Stage 2) during 2004/2005 and
this focused on African dance, singing and music, strings and Gigamjam (bass guitar,
keyboard and drums). There has been huge demand for this from schools in the Borough
and further initiatives are being planned from Autumn 2005 including more African
dance/singing/music, recorder and tabla provision. It is also one of 5 LEA music services to
participate in piloting the National Key Stage 3 Music Strategy.
The Endangered Species Project
The Endangered Species project in Ealing has focused on double reeds (oboes/bassoons),
french horns and double basses.
Whilst it already had some of these and other ES
instruments, EMS has found it particularly difficult to attract new students and there was little
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take up in this respect after its summer tours. In February 2005 there were only 3 bassoon, 3
oboes and no double bass students. At the time of the application there were only 4 french
horn students (although data relating to February 2005 indicates the number of students had
increased to 15 by then).
The Endangered Species Programme was felt to be a timely
opportunity to purchase more of these instruments, to promote them and raise awareness of
them ‘en masse’ in some targetted schools with a view to extending the reach in the longer
term if the initial scheme was successful.
It was also planned to promote other ES
instruments already owned by the Service (trombones) but not purchased with Youth Music
funds.
The main challenges identified by EMS in attracting new students to ES instruments were:
Uncertainty on the part of schools about less common instruments and an unwillingness to
take them on.
Tutors being reluctant to teach at schools where there are a very small number of children
because it is not financially viable for the short period of time involved.
General lack of awareness of ES instruments and a tendency for young people to choose
more familiar instruments.
A lack of parental awareness and knowledge of ES instruments.
The need for young people learning ES instruments to be of a certain size and age. Related
to this EMS has had difficulty engaging the interest of secondary schools although this is
gradually improving.
ES instruments tend to have a stigma because of their size, appearance and weight and this
can lead to lack of understanding from other children and sometimes bullying.
In developing and delivering its ES project, EMS established a new partnership with the BBC
Concert Orchestra which already had strong links with a number of schools in the Borough.
(This collaboration formed part of an extension to Youth Music’s ES programme involving a
partnership with the ABO and some of its member orchestras to initiate instrument
development days to promote the scheme and ES instruments.).
The key elements of the project were planned as follows:

Mini conference hosted by EMS and BBC CO to promote the scheme within the Borough
and more widely (see also above)

Recruitment of ES students through ‘have a go’/instrument development day in target
schools led by ensembles of BBC CO (including a brass quintet and double reeds trio)
with support from the ES tutors.

Free group tuition and instrument hire with some continuing support from BBC CO
players.
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
ES
instrument
focus
day
for
all
ES
students
(involving
some
workshops
ensemble/collaborative work) in partnership with the London College of Music and Media
(based in Ealing).

Attendance of ES students at BBC CO rehearsals and events.
Finance
The Service received a grant of £12,774 and was able to purchase all instruments required as
planned.
Partnership funding of £5,474 was contributed by EMS through the Music
Standards Fund. All tuition and instruments on loan were provided at no cost. The Service
applied for 16 gig bags for bassoons (10) and french horns (6). It received the 6 gig bags for
french horns but not for any of the bassoons and was disappointed in this respect as it hoped
the gig bags would help address some of the challenges concerning instrument image and
portability.
Instruments
EMS applied for funding to support the purchase of 24 instruments at a total cost of £18,248.
The rationale behind the choice of instruments is explained above.
Ealing already had
healthy stock of good quality instruments including some of the chosen ES instruments. The
intention was to add to these and through a concentrated ‘en masse’ approach in the target
schools, bring both the new and existing instruments into use. Estimates were obtained from
a number of suppliers and the Service chose to go with its regular supplier, as this was the
lowest quote.
The instruments ordered were:
4 bassoons (Adler)
8 oboes (Buffet)
6 mini french horns (Besson)
6 half-size double basses (Stentor)
Project implementation
The above instruments were purchased as planned in Summer 04 and there were no
problems in their delivery with all arriving fairly quickly. However, in order to be able to
accommodate the BBC CO’s schedule and in agreement with Youth Music, EMS delayed the
timescale for the delivery of the project and as a result, it commenced in March 05 with the
mini conference and is scheduled to conclude in December 05. In view of the small staffing
level of EMS and the Service’s involvement in other strategic initiatives (such as Wider
Opportunities and the National Key Stage 3 Strategy), it was also decided to deliver the
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project in two phases with the double reed/brass initially followed by the double bass work.
To date, the first phase focusing on double reeds and brass instruments has taken place as
planned in three schools as follows:

Little Ealing Primary School, Ealing (french horns and trombones). The school had some
existing brass provision (trumpets) with an experienced tutor and scope for strong support
from the music co-ordinator in the school.

Villiers High School, Southall (bassoons). Located in a challenging and predominantly
Asian area. One of the class music teachers is a skilled bassoonist and in agreement with
his Head of Dept was able to take on additional work as the bassoon tutor. The school
has had little instrumental provision until recently when a new music department was
established (September 04) and its profile has grown quickly. It was felt this was an ideal
opportunity and environment for the bassoon element.

Twyford Church of England High School, Acton (oboes). Located in a more affluent area
of the Borough. It was felt this school, with its strong music department and mix of
students would be receptive to the oboe element. A new tutor was to be recruited to
deliver this element of the project.
The work commenced in April 05 with taster days in each school and all the new and old
instruments distributed to the schools for all children to have a go during the tasters and to be
loaned thereafter to new students. In Little Ealing Primary School, 150 children (the entire
school) participated and this resulted in 8 new french horn and 4 new trombone students.
Villiers and Twyford High Schools adopted a more targeted approach and focused on
including students who had demonstrated a strong interest in and commitment to music in
class lessons.
Subsequently this resulted in 7 new bassoon students in Villiers High School (with a strong
likelihood of 2 more) and 15 new oboe students (using all the oboes available) at Twyford
High School, all of whom have been receiving regular weekly tuition. There has also been
some follow up by BBC CO players and students have participated in a number of related
additional opportunities provided by the BBC CO.
At the time of the case study visit it was expected that this phase of the project would
continue as planned with the instrument focus day taking place in September 2005. The
second phase focusing on double basses will commence in September 05 and a new double
bass tutor has been appointed.
The implementation of this phase will involve a similar
intensive approach to the double reed/brass work and take place in two targeted specific
schools (yet to be identified). It is intended to attract at least 6 new double bass students.
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Project Outputs
Although still at an interim position in its implementation, the project has already increased the
number of students learning ES instruments with a total of 55 pupils now playing, an increase
of 34 (162%) since February 05, prior to the start of the project. A more detailed breakdown
of this follows:
Instrument
French horn
Trombone
Tuba
Euphonium/baritone horn
Oboe
Bassoon
Double Bass
Total
February 05
(pre
ES
project)
15
0
0
0
3
3
0
21
Summer 05
% increase
23
4
0
0
18
10
0
55
53
400
0
0
500
233
0
162
The above table indicates there have been significant increases in the number of students
learning french horn, bassoons, oboes and trombones with all of the new and some of the
existing instruments in use.
41% of these new students come from non-White
British/European backgrounds therefore the project has been successful in reaching a broad
cultural mix of young people.
The project has also resulted in the appointment of 3 new tutors (including double bass – from
Sept 05) which represents a 5% increase in staffing levels.
Although there has not yet been any significant impact on ensemble development (because of
the elementary technical level of the students at this stage, there is considerable potential for
this in future, both in the strengthening of EMS’s developing ensembles, orchestras and string
groups and also in the creation of new ones within some of the participating schools. Villiers
High School for example intends to gradually build up ensemble work with duets initially then
working towards a wind quintet and in the longer term, a wind ensemble. There is also scope
for the project to feed into other groups and ensembles in the area with who EMS has already
developed or is intending to develop links with.
Although established repertoire and teaching materials (for e.g. Team Brass and Team
Woodwind) will be a basis for the technical development of the new students, some of the
teachers are working with other musical genres and in other ways. For example in Villiers
High School, the bassoon teacher is very interested in jazz and contemporary music and the
use of improvisation and is beginning to introduce some of this alongside and as an integral
part of the basic technical work with a view to challenging and broadening the experience of
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the students. He is also using music is familiar to the young people, such as adverts music,
to engage their interest.
The partnership with the BBC CO has provided a range of valuable additional opportunities
for the ES students and the schools, which appears to have been successful in enhancing the
profile of the project and the motivation, interest, experience and development of the
students.
Case Study Visit Observations
The mini conference was attended by approximately 25 people including officers/teachers
from EMS, BBC CO staff/musicians, representatives of the Association of British Orchestras,
Youth Music and ABRSM publishing, teachers from EMS ES schools, other music providers
in Ealing and representatives from 4 other London music services. The range and level of
attendance was encouraging and appeared to be helping EMS achieve its aim of building
relationships with other local providers and music services, as well as providing a valuable
forum for exploring common ES issues.
The bassoon lesson at Villiers High School involved five (2 boys and 3 girls) of the seven
students and lasted approximately 40 minutes. Normally lessons are held weekly with 2
students per group. Two parents also attended the session. All the students were playing
new instruments and had been learning for approximately eight weeks. Some difficulties with
insurance had initially resulted students being unable to take instruments home but this had
been resolved by the time of the case study visit and students had started taking instruments
home and practising regularly.
Each student was using a seat strap rather than a sling to hold the instruments as this was
felt to be the most comfortable approach by both the teacher and the BBC CO bassoonist
supporting the project. None of the students had yet used any music as there has been a
focus on learning basic notes.
The session focused on basic posture, sound production and work on basic notes and chord
building. Students played individual notes and then chords were gradually built up note by
note and involving the whole group. The teacher encouraged the students to hear/internalise
the note and helped with technical issues such as lip control etc and continued to work in this
way throughout the lesson as new elements/areas were introduced. The sound made by
some of the students was surprisingly good considering the small number of lessons.
The work on notes and chord building was then developed further, focusing on another
technical area, tonguing, with the introduction of a rhythmic element taken from an advert.
More rhythmic work, sound production and tonguing work continued but using small elements
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of music from adverts. The session concluded with some elementary ensemble work with
students playing simple musical ‘rounds’, Three Blind Mice and London’s Burning.
The
teacher apologised to the students for the ‘babyish’ nature of the music but the students did
not seem to mind.
Overall the session was successful and the students all concentrated well and were engaged,
interested and enthusiastic and responded positively to the teacher who was effective and
dynamic. The session seemed well planned and structured with a clear sense of progression
across the activities and with the approach/music appropriate to the specific technical/learning
needs of the instrument and effective in engaging and sustaining the interest of the students.
The group approach also worked well and the teacher was able to respond to the needs of
individual students where necessary without losing the interest of other students. All the
students appeared to have made good progress in a relatively short period of time. The next
phase of teaching will introduce the bass clef and some elementary reading of music.
Some significant points arose during discussion with the teacher

He was very positive about the ES initiative, pleased to have the opportunity to participate
and delighted with the response and progress of the student, particularly the quality of
sound and intonation that some students were already making and also their emerging
versatility with the use of different notes/fingerings.

The instruments are all brand new and of a very good quality. Students have been
quickly able to make a good tone and sound and this has been key to sustaining their
interest and motivation on such a challenging instrument.

The scheme has provided a valuable opportunity to some students who have
considerable musical potential and who normally would not be able to access
instrumental tuition because of their economic circumstances.

The project has been successful in engaging a number of boys (3). Although this used to
be a male-dominated instrument, the current trend has been for more girls to learn so it
was intended to focus on boys.

The involvement of the BBC CO players has been very successful, both with regard to the
quality of their musicianship and skills and also their commitment to and support for the
students. The BBC name/brand has been a significant factor in engaging the interest of
students.

The response of parents has not been an issue or a barrier to the involvement of students
as expected although there has been little feedback and communication with parents has
mainly been via the students. The attendance of 2 parents for the case study session was
encouraging and the first time the teacher had met any parents during the ES project.

There is considerable scope for sustaining the tuition in the longer term after the ES
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project has finished. The school will be supportive in this respect and all the pupils seem
committed and keen to continue in the longer term.

The Head of Music at the school has been very supportive/flexible in enabling the teacher
to work both as a class and instrumental teacher. Support from EMS has also been
strong and effective. However at the time of visit there were some unresolved issues
between the school and EMS concerning payment for the additional teaching time
required.
Most of the above points were echoed by EMS/BBC CO staff who raised additional points as
follows:
 Although ABRSM Publishing has responded to the ES initiative (evident during a
presentation made at the mini conference), EMS believes it has been slow in this
respect and that there is a need for a much broader range of repertoire for beginners
(particularly older students) in ES instruments to engage and sustain their interest.
 The method of promoting ES instruments through an ‘en masse’ approach in targetted
schools has been successful and more effective than focusing more broadly across a
number of schools. EMS will use this approach again in future.
 The project has been developmental for the BBC CO players who are relatively new to
working with schools and young people.
The focus on promoting and learning
instruments has been a good starting point in this respect as it is an area where the
musicians feel comfortable and experienced.
 EMS welcomes the Youth Music ES programme, has benefited considerably from the
funding it has received and believes it has made a significant difference to the take up
and learning of ES instruments in Ealing. However it feels there was scope for a
broader and more coherent reach, linking in with other contextual elements such as
parental involvement, repertoire development etc. EMS hopes Youth Music will take a
strong lead in sharing positive outcomes and good practice to arise from the
programme. It also hopes future initiatives will focus on other endangered or even
extinct species of instruments.
Conversations with players and parents
Four of the five students already play other instruments (African drums, recorder keyboard
and harmonium). All students were enjoying and like learning the bassoon and most felt
positive about the bassoon as an instrument with one student describing it as ‘cool’ and
another ‘it stands out from the crowd’. Playing the bassoon was regarded as both easy and
challenging with the most difficult thing being its weight and portability when held to be
played. One student’s initial response was ‘What can you do with this?’ but he has found it
easier than expected and that there are lots of possibilities.
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All enjoyed the approach to learning and felt it was fun to use music they knew from adverts
etc. Most students were getting positive support and interest at home (and in one case
surprise – ‘My mum’s eyes were wide open!’) although some parents were less welcoming of
the volume of sound and one student indicated she had to practice away from the rest of the
family because of this. Because of the initial difficulties with insurance, students were only
just getting used to taking instruments home to practise but all were keen to do so and to
practise regularly. All students felt they had made good progress fairly quickly, were keen to
continue and some would like to start playing in groups.
The two parents were positive about their children’s involvement in the scheme with one
parent feeling it was a valuable opportunity and the other indicating it was something her
daughter really wanted to do. The parents recognised the bassoon was unusual (one had
never seen or heard of a bassoon before) and also that it was physically challenging, but this
was not an issue. Both parents felt their children had responded positively to the opportunity
to learn the bassoon, listened to them when practising and were keen to help and encourage.
Conclusions
EMS is a young and small but forward thinking and developing music service serving a
diverse community.
Its participation in the ES initiative has been a valuable and timely
opportunity for it to raise its profile and realise some of its own strategic plans, particularly in
developing new partnerships, accessing more young people and also addressing some clear
gaps in its instrumental teaching. The scheme has already made a significant difference in
this respect with the recruitment of 3 new teachers, some instruments being learnt for the first
time in the Service’s recent history and with a substantial increase of student numbers in
other ES instruments. All of the instruments purchased have or will be utilised, along with
other ES instruments owned by EMS but not in use until this point.
In the longer term, the
programme is also likely to have a noticeable impact on ensemble work with new ES students
progressing into and enhancing the scope and breadth of repertoire of the Service’s existing
ensembles and through the creation of new groups.
The decision to focus intensively on one or two specific instruments in particular schools (i.e.
an ‘en masse’ targetted approach) rather than a broader cross-school approach has been
particularly effective in raising awareness of the target instruments, attracting new students
and establishing a ‘community’ of interest which can be self supporting and address some of
the issues concerning isolation and peer group difficulties sometimes experienced by young
people learning certain ES instruments. The positive response of the schools, teachers, new
students and their parents is very encouraging and there is considerable scope for the
scheme to be sustained and developed in these schools in the longer term and also for it to
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be extended using a similar approach with other schools.
As well as access, there has been a strong emphasis on quality of learning and the quality of
resources which again aligns with EMS strategic objectives. The decision to secure good
teachers and invest in high quality instruments, even for beginners, is clearly reaping benefits,
judging from the response of the bassoon students and teacher at Villiers High School.
EMS’s new partnership with the BBC CO has been invaluable in many respects and has
given the project a much stronger presence within Ealing and beyond. The BBC brand has
enhanced the profile of the project and made it more attractive to schools, students and
parents and the involvement of professional musicians has clearly provided the emerging new
students with strong and inspirational role models. The extra opportunities resulting from the
association with the BBC CO have also added value to the project and enhanced the quality
of experience for the ES students and teachers.
It seems certain that the project will be both sustained and extended although this will almost
certainly be reliant on additional income obtained through charging for tuition/instrument hire
and EMS is concerned that this could result in some fall out of students. Hopefully the
commitment and enthusiasm of the students will be sufficiently strong to convince their
parents that this would be a worthwhile investment.
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Suffolk County Music Service (SCMS)
Case Study Format
The Suffolk case study consisted of a day-long visit to Lowestoft to talk to Suffolk County
Music Service staff, to talk to pupils learning the ES instrument and their relatives, and to
observe a practice session involving the instruments. The visit took place in May 2005 and
consisted of the following:
Meetings with
Philip Shaw, County Adviser for Music and Head of the County Music Service
Norman Owen, County Music Tutor (North Suffolk) and General Manager of the North Suffolk
Music Centre
Stuart Green, Senior Woodwind Tutor (double reed specialist)
Francesca, Eleanor, Jonathan and Lucy – young ES players
Two parents and one grandfather of the children
Visit to:
Kirkley High School, Lowestoft (office of the North Suffolk Music Centre)
Attendance at:
Tenoroon instrumental tuition session
Service Profile
The County of Suffolk is a largely rural area with a total population of about 604,000. Suffolk
Music Service is a ‘quasi-trading unit’ within the Education Department of Suffolk County
Council. It has 80 full- and part-time peripatetic staff providing instrumental and vocal tuition,
primary class music, ensemble work and music therapy in primary, middle, upper/high and
special schools, together with an extensive programme of Suffolk Youth Music activities at
district area and county level.
For education purposes the county is divided into three large Areas with Area offices in Bury
St. Edmunds, Ipswich and Lowestoft. The Music Service follows this geographic division with
a County Music Tutor for the following areas:
Senior County Music Tutor (includes the role of County Music Tutor South). The Senior
Brass Tutor is attached to the Southern Area
County Music Tutor (West: Music Technology). The Senior String Tutor is a member of the
Western Area team
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County Music Tutor (North). The Senior Woodwind Tutor is also a member of the Northern
Area
Peripatetic primary classroom tutors, including an Advanced Skills Teacher, operate in Area
Teams and each Senior Area Tutor is supported by full and part-time tutors plus
administrative staff. There is a small but significant amount of vocal and choral tuition being
supplied, mainly in the Southern Area.
A standard level of service is offered across the County. This service includes some 3000
instruments which are loaned at no charge to pupils; an instrument purchase scheme and
access to and loan of Gamelan, Djembes, Tabla, Samba, Steel Pans etc, specialist music
support, advice and consultancy. Many of the Service’s stock of instruments have been
purchased in the last four years through the Music Standards Fund.
The instruments (including guitar, ergonomic trombones and harp as well as the usual brass,
woodwind and string instruments) are loaned free of charge to pupils for a fixed period of two
years in the first instance. The Service also has a scheme whereby pupils can purchase their
own instruments at a good discount. Tuition is also available at some District and Area
activities to enable pupils under the age of nine to begin learning a string instrument.
Since September 2004 the SCMS has provided tuition in 37 of the 38 high and upper schools,
all middle and special schools in the County as well as many primary schools. Schools
receive an equitable allocation of Service provision but are also able to use other funds to
increase their allocation and many schools choose to do this. The offer of Service facilities is
distributed to all schools in the county; they may choose whether to purchase and if so what
element of the service and in what quantity.
SCMS has evolved in accordance with the needs and requests of schools and reflects the
demands that schools have made upon it. Where schools have requested music teaching,
they will normally receive between 36 and 38 visits in the school year. Group tuition is the
favoured teaching method.
In the financial year 2003-4 the SCMS had an income of approximately £2m of which half was
buy-back from schools. LEA funding was £235,000 and DfES Music Standards Fund
£470,000. The remainder of the income came from subscriptions, ticket and programme
sales, grants, miscellaneous income and subs from members of county ensembles towards
the cost of their annual programme of performances.
From September 2004 the SCMS
supplied 1101 hours per week of school-based instrumental tuition, 14 hours of school-based
choral/vocal tuition, 51 hours of primary class music and 24 hours of music therapy to a total
of 181 establishments.
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The Service is currently piloting a number of Wider Opportunities projects in both primary and
middle schools, including World Music, Brass, String, Woodwind, Keyboard, Guitar and
Recorder with an intended gradual rollout across Suffolk over the next few years.
Suffolk Youth Music: the Service also provides a programme of extra-curricular activities for
young musicians. This includes District level - local music Schools in six centres which meet
on Saturday mornings and offer ensemble activities up to Grade 5, and Area level - youth
orchestras, bands, jazz orchestras, string ensembles and a choir, which meet on weekend
evenings in Ipswich, Lowestoft and Bury St. Edmunds. The county has a highly regarded
Youth Orchestra (SYO), Youth Wind Band and Suffolk Young Strings.
For specific projects there is also the Suffolk Youth Brass and Suffolk Youth Sinfonia. Suffolk
Youth Orchestra was one of five youth orchestras in the Sainsbury’s Youth Orchestra Series
in 1999, broadcast on Classic FM in 2000. It performs widely in this country and abroad; local
performances include the Snape Proms at Snape Maltings.
There is a charge of £30 per
term for membership of the weekly Suffolk Youth Music programme but there is a remissions
policy for families receiving state benefits.
The Service also runs its own examining system and 700 candidates are currently involved in
this. The system operates within Grades 1 to 5 and is part of the package which schools
receive from the Service. Children who have successfully completed the course receive a
certificate; they may then wish to go to take the higher grades from the traditional Examining
Boards.
At the Service’s Ofsted Inspection in 2002 the Inspectors found that the SCMS is a complex,
well established and strong music service which has made very effective use of the
Standards Fund grant to protect and expand the provision.
The inspection specifically
mentioned the expansion of the number and range of instruments and the inclusion of less
commonly played instruments.
The Mission
The Suffolk County Music Service’s mission is to encourage participation, enjoyment and
achievement in music. Specifically it seeks to provide high quality music education and
performance opportunities that awaken and nurture talent and creativity, build self-esteem,
instil discipline and bring the joy of music to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
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The Endangered Species Project
The Endangered Special Project in Suffolk was centred on one instrument – the bassoon.
The Service has a number of other ES instruments but identified the bassoon as the
instrument which needs the most encouragement, particularly for ensembles of younger
children which often lack a true bass instrument. There are certain challenges in introducing
the bassoon to children of 8 or 9 years.
It is a difficult and exhausting instrument to play, involving many different muscles of the body.
It is an instrument of great emotional expression, in range and depth, and can sound both
melancholic and comic. It needs strong melodic writing, especially for young children. It is a
beautiful instrument but suffers from a low profile and is unfamiliar to many young people.
There are issues of cost and portability. The cost may mean there is only one
instrument in
each school which prevents group tuition, which is the teaching method at the heart of Suffolk
County Music Service.
Some generalist woodwind teachers lack confidence in teaching double reed instruments and
are not good role models.
The Service had already introduced some measures to support Endangered Species
instrument playing, with tutors demonstrating instruments at schools, press articles promoting
the instruments, open mornings at music centres, area group tuition for minority instruments
and work with schools to ensure that they offered an effective range of instruments. In view
of the small number of instruments available as a result of the Endangered Species award, no
specific promotional events linked to the programme were organised.
Finance
The Service purchased five tenoroons at a unit cost of £1598, total £7793.
Partnership
funding was £2398 and this came from the instrument purchase heading (Woodwind
Instruments) within the County Music Service’s budget plan for 2004-2005. The Service’s ES
grant from Youth Music was £5595.
In addition, the Service requested 50 gig bags with a
wish list of 90. Their request for gig bags was not successful.
The tenoroon is suitable for children who are still too small to manage the full-size instrument
with comfort. It is slightly larger than the mini bassoon but smaller than the short-reach
bassoon.
It can be a better stepping-stone to the full-size bassoon than the short-reach
bassoon. It is also suitable as tenor instrument in a wind ensemble. The Music Service is
fortunate to have a double reed specialist (oboe player) on the staff, plus a bassoon
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specialist. The Service also owns eight mini-bassoons, 22 short reach bassoons and 15-20
full-size bassoons. A local man makes the reeds for the school’s instruments.
Project implementation
The suppliers were T.W. Howarth & Co Ltd and the instruments were designed in Germany
and imported from European sources. They come with their own backpacks, which look more
‘cool’ than the traditional bags. There was no delay in receiving the instruments once the
order was made.
Of the five instruments ordered, four are available for teaching and one is
for the tutor’s use. The Service champions ES instruments and one of SCMS’s strengths is its
willingness to put funding into exploring new possibilities.
It has a large collection of French horns which it purchased from its own funds (before the
Endangered Species scheme came into being), four non-pedal harps and one concert harp.
Currently 80 pupils per week learn the French horn, 190 the trombone, 23 the tuba, 42 the
euphonium and baritone horn, 120 the oboe, 43 the full-size bassoon and 72 the Double
Bass.
SCMS’s involvement with Wider Opportunities will concentrate on a set of alto
trombones purchased with funding set aside for this purpose.
The tenoroons are based in the Music Centre at Kirkley High School in Lowestoft. Kirkley is
one of the most deprived areas in Europe in a town which has very low expectations. The
Music Centre is a new facility, opened in the current academic year. The school has Sports
College status but the Head has a lively interest in the arts. The Music Centre is based in the
school’s Music Department and consists of one large office from where the loan scheme
operates, two storage rooms with racked storage and a recital room which was opened by the
group The Darkness, Lowestoft’s current claim to fame.
Kirkley and two other secondary
schools in Lowestoft work as a consortium for A level music studies.
Case Study Visit Observations
This session was taken by the Senior Woodwind Tutor (double reed specialist) in the recital
room of the Music Centre. It was the 23rd lesson of the series. All four tenoroon players were
present (three girls and one boy) plus the mothers of two of the children and the grandfather
of the third. The mother of the fourth child collected her at the end of the session. The half
hour sessions take place each Tuesday.
The children all come from three primary schools, one from Beccles and two from Lowestoft.
Children were targeted through an advertisement in the local paper (one child enrolled as a
result of this) or by a direct approach from the Music Service. There is a clear strategy for
maintaining the bassoon; the four children will eventually move onto the short-reach bassoon
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(and thence to the full-size bassoon) and their places on the tenoroon will be taken by four
more pupils who have progressed from the mini-bassoon.
The Tenoroon plays a 4th above the full-size instrument and children read the bass clef, using
normal bassoon fingerings. Bassoon teachers need to understand the transposition when
arranging for ensembles and the Tutor undertakes a lot of this work, although the group also
uses published material. The tutor feels it is important that the children play things they are
familiar with, jolly music to emphasise this side of the instrument’s character.
Whistle While You Work and Off to Work We Go (Hey ho, Hey ho) were tackled by the
children with enthusiasm. ‘The next note is an A; how many fingers do you have to move?’
Not all the children knew the answer to this but the inspirational tutor coaxed it out of them. It
was a pleasant, productive session.
The children were selected very carefully for their enthusiasm and potential ‘stickability’ as are
most children who play SCMS’s endangered instruments. The instruments need to go where
they will be best used and parental interest and involvement is essential. The instruments
can be taken home by the children, free of charge, for an initial period of six terms. Under
certain circumstances the loan period may be extended. Parents are encouraged to put the
instrument onto their house contents insurance policy.
Each of the four pupils has a Pupil Record booklet which is used in the planning of their work
with the tenoroon and in measuring progress and achievement. It contains practice guidance
and hints and the children are required to bring the record book to each lesson.
Conversations with players and parents
All four children play other instruments (record, violin, piano) and all said the tenoroon was
‘easy when you got used to it’. They were too young to worry about difficulties and to them
the bassoon was just another instrument, double reed or no double reed. They liked the
sound it makes (‘no, it’s not sad it’s jolly’) and want to keep on playing the instrument (‘it’s
better than the recorder’). They practice at home, not every night, although they realise that
they probably should, but try and do 15 minutes as often as possible.
Parents/grandfather think the loan scheme is excellent and would all be prepared to buy a
bassoon for their child if s/he continues his/her interest in the instrument. The SCMS assisted
purchase scheme gives a 10% discount and also excludes VAT, so it is an appreciable saving
on the full cost. Parents particularly like the fact that the children are learning together as a
group, out of school hours. The parents were all very interested in their child’s progress,
encouraging practice, supporting them as their children try to find their way around the
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instrument, ferrying the children to lessons. They all use their child’s record book to assist the
Tutor to monitor progress.
Conclusions
Suffolk County Music Service has a high reputation for the quality of its teaching and support
of young players. In the words of the Head of the County Music Service ‘Suffolk is ahead of
the game so far as endangered species is concerned’. This is borne out by the Service’s 2002
Ofsted inspection when the Service was praised for the inclusion of less commonly played
instruments.
The Endangered Special scheme was not critical for the Music School, but it has been very
welcome nonetheless and has enabled the School to experiment with a new instrument.
It
has also completed the ‘bassoon continuum’ and allows children to move up through the
different instrument sizes from mini bassoon to full size instrument. In this way a workable
strategy for the development of County bassoon players has been established. This assists
the Service to fulfil its provision of specialist instrumental teaching by:

emphasising the necessity for a balanced musical education for all and encouraging and
developing each child’s musical potential

raising the attainment of all pupils throughout the county

providing young people with quality instrumental teaching and promoting the value and
importance of instrumental tuition to match individual needs

providing a programme of opportunities for young people in Suffolk to make music
together
The young tenoroon players will eventually become members of an ensemble both at school
and at the Music Centre. They will also be able to take part in playing days when all
bassoonists come together with expert coaching and specially arranged music. This will help
to raise the profile of the instrument throughout the county and explore the repertoire for
young bassoonists.
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Appendix III
Instrument Purchase and Age Group – Balance
The table below illustrates the percentage of Services purchasing each of the instrument
types. For example, of the 89 Services receiving ES awards, 47 purchased trombones and
58 purchased tubas. Some Services purchased just one or two of the types of Endangered
Species instruments, thereby concentrating their programme on these instruments.
No of Music
Total No
Services
% of
Services
Purchasing
Trombone
47
340
53%
French Horn
57
387
64%
Tuba
58
200
65%
Euphonium/Bass Horn
42
243
47%
Oboe
47
262
53%
Bassoon
71
312
80%
Double Bass
54
384
61%
No Music Services Projects Involving Age Groups
Experience
Playing
Developing
skills
5-7
33
17
9
8-11
57
56
57
12-14
35
40
47
15-18
15
16
20
No Music Services Projects Involving Age Groups (%)
Experience
Playing
Developing
skills
5-7
37%
19%
10%
8-11
64%
63%
64%
12-14
39%
45%
53%
15-18
17%
18%
22%
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Appendix IV
Detailed Analysis of Survey Returns
List of Music Services that responded to the questionnaire
Barking & Dagenham Community Music
Service
Barnsley Performing Arts Development
Service
Bath & North East Somerset Music Service
Bedfordshire Music
Bexley Centre for Music & Dance
Bolton Music Services
Brighton & Hove Music and Performing Arts
Bromley Youth Music Trust
Cambridge Instrumental Music Agency
Cheshire Music Education Partnership
Coventry Performing Arts Service
Croydon Music Service
Cumbria Learning Support Service Music
Dorset Music Service
Durham Music Service
Ealing Music Service
East Sussex Music Service
Enfield Arts Support Service
Essex Music Services
Gateshead Schools' Music Service
Gloucestershire Music
Greenwich Music Service
Hackney Music Service
Hammersmith & Fulham Music Service
Hampshire Music Service
Haringey Music and Performing Arts Service
Havering Music School
Herefordshire Music Services
Isle of Wight Music Service
Kent Music School
Kirklees Music School
Knowsley Performing Arts Service
Lambeth Music Service
Lewisham Music Service
Liverpool Music Support Service
Luton Music Service
Merton Music Foundation
NE Lincolnshire Music & Performing Arts
Service
Newcastle Music Service
North Yorkshire County Music Service
Northamptonshire Music & Performing Arts
Service
Northumberland County Music Services
Nottingham City Music Service
Nottinghamshire Arts Support Service
Redbridge Music Service
Richmond Music Service
Rotherham Schools Music Service
Salford Music & Performing Arts Service
Sandwell Youth Music
Sheffield Music Service
Solihull Music Service
Somerset Music Service
Southampton Music Service
Staffordshire Performing Arts
Stockport Music Service
Stoke on Trent City Music School
Sunderland LEA Music Development Office
Surrey County Arts
Sutton Music Service
Tees Valley Music Service
Thurrock Music Service
Wakefield Music Service
Wandsworth Schools Music Service
Warrington Music Service
Warwickshire Music Service
West Sussex Music Support Service
Wigan Music Service
Wiltshire Music Service
Wirral Schools' Music Service
Oldham Music Service responded separately.
Note: the return from Oxfordshire arrived too late to be included in the above.
Music Advisory Services details
1.
Of 89 Music Services, 69 responded. This represents a response rate of 77.5%.
1b.
Only seven respondents reported that they covered other Local Authority areas.
1c.
There are nine Arts Council regions. Responses from each region were as follows:
Artservice
Region
No
%
i
Eastern
4
6
ii
East Midlands
3
4
iii
London
17
24.5
iv
North East
6
9
v
North West
10
14.5
vi
South East
10
14.5
vii
South West
5
7.2
viii
West Midlands
7
10.15
ix
Yorkshire
7
10.15
69
100
Project details
2a.
Starting dates varied and ranged between September 2003 and September 2005.
2b-f. 45 Services (65%) reported that their programme started on time. Of the 24 (35%)
which did not start on time, 88% said that the delay was due to delays in receiving their
instruments from suppliers. Only 3 gave other reasons for the late start.
59 (86%) purchased all the instruments they required.
Of the ten which did not
purchase all the required instruments, half said that problems with the supply of the
required instruments led them to purchase alternatives.
Of the other 50%, two
reported insufficient funding to purchase all the instruments, and three changed their
plans for other reasons.
22 (32%) reported that they had made major changes to their programme.
Reasons
given included:

Difficulties recruiting pupils to learn oboe and bassoon;

Timetabling difficulties;

Delay in delivery of some instruments;

Decided to target particular schools and groups of pupils;

Pupils invited to attend central ensemble, rather than a class;

Trombones and euphoniums used as part of Wider Opportunities scheme;

Specialist teacher left, so had to change plan.
Artservice
Participants
3a.
The total number of children who had an experience of ES instruments was 353,914.
The average was 5,129. Not all Services gave a gender or age breakdown. Of those
who gave a gender breakdown, about half were girls and half boys.
Of those who
gave an age breakdown:
3b.

26% were 5 – 7

just over 44% of pupils were age 8 – 11

7% were 12 – 14

and 13% were 15 – 18.
The number of children who had an experience of playing an ES instrument was
22,164.
The average was 321.
Again, not all services gave a gender or age
breakdown. Of those who did, 52.5% of pupils were girls and 47.5% boys.
3c.

10.5% were age 5 – 7

72% were age 8 – 11

14.5% were 12 – 14

and 2% were age 15 – 18.
The total number of children who had an opportunity to develop skills on ES
instruments was 3,898. The average was 56. Not all Services gave a gender or age
breakdown. Of those which did 52% of children were boys and 48% girls.

3% were age 5 – 7

54% of children were age 8 – 11

31% were age 12 – 14

and 10% were age 15 – 18.
The total numbers of children participating, based on age, is set out in the table below.
Age range
Experience
Playing
Developing
Total
%
skills
5-7
83,405
2,310
92
85,807
25%
8-11
144,948
15,998
2,106
163,052
47%
12-14
55,873
3,201
1,196
60,270
17%
15-18
37,756
413
384
38,553
11%
Total
321,982
21,922
3,778
347,682
Artservice
Note: there were discrepancies in the returns which made it difficult to accurately
reconcile total figures and total category figures.
3d.
Only 46 of the 69 respondents (67%) gave details of ethnicity of the participants
involved in all three categories.
Of those who gave details, an average of 81% of
pupils were white British. Other figures were as follows:
3e.
Ethnicity
%
White British
81
White European
3
Irish
1
Black African
4
Black Caribbean
2
Black other
1
Indian
3
Pakistani
2
Bangladeshi
1
Chinese
1
Other
3
How many children have had the opportunity to develop skills on each category
of ES instruments?
54 Services (78% of respondents) answered this question. Of those who did answer,
the number of children who had the opportunity to develop skills on each category of
instruments was as follows:
Instrument
Total
%
of
Average
number
total
No
French Horn
451
13%
8
Trombone
978
28%
18
Tuba
234
7%
4
Bassoon
310
9%
6
Oboe
441
13%
8
Double Bass
426
12%
8
Euphonium
605
18%
11
Artservice
The children and young people
4.
Services were asked to indicate the impact of the ES programme on children and
young people using the Music Service, by scoring each of the following impacts. 65 of
the 69 Services (75%) which responded provided scores for this question. Of those
who gave scores, average scores for the impact of the ES programme on children and
young people using the Music Service were (where 10 is the highest value):
a
Encouraging more children to play ES instruments
9
d
Extending the musical experience of children playing instruments
8
e
Providing opportunities for children to play instruments at affordable
8
cost
g
Widening appreciation of the instruments by children
8
b
Attracting a wider range of children to play instruments
7
c
Encouraging more children to play in ensembles
7
h
Engaging parents/carers with activities
5
Parents and carers
5a.
Services were asked to estimate how many parents and carers had been involved with
the project by:
(a)
attending musical events involving the new ES instruments; and
(b)
supporting other activities (not including musical events)
49 (71%) of the 69 Services which responded gave figures for the number of parents
and carers who had been involved with the project by attending musical events
involving new ES instruments.
The greatest number of parents/carers involved was
3,000 and the smallest number was 12. The average number was 504.
5b.
12 (17%) of the 69 respondents gave figures for the number of parents and carers who
had been involved with the project by supporting other activities (excluding musical
events).
The greatest number involved was 1,244 and the smallest number was 2.
The average was 196.
18 Services described other ways in which parents and carers had been involved. The
main ways were:
Artservice

Attending lessons with children

Transporting children to lessons after school

Providing feedback on music service

Helping set up rehearsal space

Helping with Saturday Centres

Purchasing instruments through Parents’ Associations

Fundraising

Supporting and encouraging pupils
Tutors
6a-h. Services were asked to estimate how many new instrument tutors had become
involved with the Music Service as a result of the project. 36 Services (52%) had
involved new tutors. These were in the following categories (total):
French Horn
15
Trombone
10
Tuba
9
Bassoon
17
Oboe
19
Double Bass
9
Euphonium
4
The average was one new tutor for each Service.
7 Services did not give numbers for existing tutors. Of those which did, numbers of
existing tutors in these categories were:
Total
Average
French Horn
178
4
Trombone
192
4
Tuba
152
3
Bassoon
105
2
Oboe
107
3
Double Bass
93
2
Euphonium
180
5
Artservice
6i.
28 (78%) of the Services which had involved new tutors had provided training for the
new tutors.
6k.
21 Services said the programme had assisted them in attracting new tutors (58% of
those which had involved new tutors).
6j.
Services were asked whether there had been particular difficulties in identifying and
involving tutors, including whether there had been particular difficulties with regard to
certain instruments. 35 Services (51%) responded to the question. Of these:

14 (40%) said they had had no problems;

Of those who had encountered problems:

(29%) said there had been problems with Double Bass tuition;

6 (29%) identified problems with bassoon, French Horn Oboe, lower brass
instruments;

2 (10%) said there were problems getting tutors for 1 or 2 pupils;

3 (14%) identified problems with getting experienced tutors, or with training and
support for tutors.
Ensembles and repertoire
7.
Services were asked to indicate the impact of the ES programme on ensembles and
repertoire. 64 Services (93%) gave scores. Average score were as follows (where 10
is the highest value):
Introducing new players to ensembles
8
Increasing the number of children playing in ensembles
7
Creating new performing/learning ensembles
6
Widening the styles of music used in existing and new ensembles
5
Extending the repertoire of ensembles
4
40 Services (58%) made additional comments on the impact of the ES programme on
ensemble playing. 22 (55%), said either that it was too early to assess the impact on
ensemble playing, or that ensemble playing was developing and the impact would
become apparent in the longer term.
10 (25%) said that the programme had had a
positive effect in adding depth, breadth and colour to ensembles and filling gaps in
ensembles.
Artservice
The Music Service
8.
65 Services (94%) gave scores for the impact of the ES programme on the Music
Service. . Scores were as follows (where 10 is the highest value):
8k.
Increasing the appeal of the instruments to children
8
Increasing the appeal of the Service to children
7
Raising the profile of the Service
7
Strengthening the Service’s relationship with parents and carers
6
Contributing to the Service’s financial stability
5
Developing new partnerships with music organisations
4
Supporting new training opportunities
4
34 Services (49%) made comments on partnerships with other music and funding
organisations. Of these:

15 (44%) had links with established professional orchestras;

7 (21%) reported links with local bands or performing arts colleges.
The following partners were mentioned.
The Association of British Orchestras
The BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Britten Sinfonia
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
The Halle Orchestra
Jools Holland Band
London College of Music and Media
The London Symphony Orchestra
London Welsh Brass Ensemble
Manchester Camerata
The National Association of Youth Orchestras
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
The Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Birmingham Conservatoire
Cheetham’s College of Music
Artservice
Trinity College of Music
The Sage, Gateshead
Wakefield Youth Symphony Orchestra
Dudley Performing Arts
Norwood Achievement Zone
SW Music Services
South Lambeth Action Zone
Specialist Performing Arts Colleges
Soundstart
Jupiter
Oboeworks
59 Services (86%) made comments on the Service’s ability to sustain instrument
8l.
playing. Of these:
8m.

52 (88%) made positive comments about sustainability;

8 (14%) said that funding continued to present problems with sustainability.
46 Services (67%) made comments on training and support for teaching staff. 36
(40%) had training and development plans in place, including in-house training, CPD
and special training day events.
Some of these were enhancing existing training
programmes.
General comments
9a.
Services were asked to say what the project had achieved for their Music Service and
its users and partners. A 58% sample of Services commented. Of these:

35% said the programme had provided an opportunity for more children and
younger children to experience ES instruments;

20% said the programme had enabled them to purchase good quality
instruments;

12% commented that it had increased partnership working;

17% said the programme had increased awareness of ES instruments and
raised their profile.
9b.
Services were asked to give details of any problems invisaged in maintaining the
programme. A 58% sample of Services gave details. Of these:
Artservice

50% cited financial problems as a difficulty with maintaining the programme,
with funds needed for new instruments for starters, maintaining a stock of good
quality instruments and tuition costs.

5% said that they envisaged problems with maintaining enthusiasm and
commitment.
9c.
Services were asked to add any other comments on the ES programme and their
future needs in respect of ES instrument teaching and playing. A 58% sample of
Services made general comments. Of these:

50% welcomed the scheme and felt it had been successful;

7.5% said that the delays in obtaining instruments and gig bags had been
disappointing, and one respondent suggested that using one supplier might
have been a problem, given the delays.
Most respondents, whilst welcoming the programme, said that they would still need
extra funding.
Artservice
Appendix V
Music Services Receiving Endangered Species Awards
Barking & Dagenham Community
Music
Barnsley Performing Arts Development
Bath & North East Somerset
Bedfordshire Music
Berkshire Young Musicians Trust
Bexley Centre for Music & Dance
Birmingham Music Services
Bolton Music Services
Bradford Music Arts & Sport
Brighton & Hove Music Services
Bristol Arts & Music Service
Bromley Youth Music Trust
Buckinghamshire County Music
Services
Cambridge Instrumental Music Agency
Cheshire Music Services
City of York Arts Service
Coventry Performing Arts Service
Croydon Music Service
Cumbria Learning Support Service
Music
Dorset Music Service
Durham Music Support Service
Ealing Music Servce
East Riding Schools Music Service
East Sussex Music Service
Enfield Arts Support Service
Essex Music Services
Gateshead Schools' Music Service
Gloucestershire Music Service
Greenwich Music Service
Hackney Music Service
Hammersmith & Fulham
Hampshire Musc Service
Haringey Music Centre
Harrow Arts for Schools
Havering Music School
Herefordshire Music Services
Hertfordshire Music Service
Hillingdon Music Service
Isle of Wight Music Service
Kent Music School
Kingston upon Hull Music Service
Kirklees Music School
Knowsley Performing Arts Service
Lambeth Music Service
Leeds - Education Leeds Artforms
Leicestershire & Leicester Arts in Ed
Lewisham Music Service
Liverpool Music Support Service
Luton Music Service
Merton Music Foundation
NE Lincs Music & Perf Arts Service
Newcastle Music Service
Norfolk Music Education Service
North Somerset Music Service
North Yorkshire County Music Service
Northamptonshire Music & Perf Arts
Northumberland County Music
Services
Nottingham Arts in Education
Nottinghamshire Ed Arts Support
Service
Oldham MBC Music Service
Oxfordshire County Music Services
Redbridge Music Service
Richmond Music Service
Rotherham Schools Music Service
Salford Music & Performing Arts
Service
Sandwell Youth Music
Sefton Music Support Service
Sheffield Music Service
Slough Music Service
Solihull Music Service
Somerset Music Service
Southampton Music Service
Staffordshire Performing Arts
Stockport Music Service
Stoke on Trent City Music School
Suffolk County Music Services
Sunderland LEA
Surrey County Arts
Sutton Youth Music Service
Tees Valley Music Service
Thurrock LEA Music Service
Wakefield Music Service
Wandsworth Music Support Service
Warrington Music Service
Warwickshire County Music Service
West Sussex
Wigan Music Service
Wiltshire Music Service
Wirral Schools' Music Service