Dear Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, On reading your recent comments regarding the state of music education in Britain,

I felt compelled to provide a response to some of your assertions and present a slightly different view, based on my own experience as a practitioner in this field. Since qualifying as a teacher five years ago, I have worked as a secondary class music teacher, a peripatetic instrumental teacher and as a wider opportunities instrumental teacher. The damning picture you paint of music education today is vastly different from what I have experienced firsthand, and I would be interested to know on what evidence you have come to the conclusion that music teaching in this country is a disgrace. I only hope that by describing some of my own experiences, I might give you a slightly more positive view of the role of classical music in schools today. The first point I would like to raise is your comment regarding the provision of instrumental lessons by local councils. Local councils are no longer responsible for the provision of music tuition in schools, as this role has been handed over the Music Education Hubs in the wake of the Henley Review. These hubs have the responsibility to ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to sing and learn a musical instrument, and to perform as part of an ensemble or choir. (Arts Council 2013) The two music hubs I work for give all primary students a years worth of free group instrumental lessons. Students who take a keen interest or demonstrate an aptitude for an instrument are encouraged to continue after this year and if they have difficulties in paying for lessons or equipment, can often continue lessons for free or at a heavily discounted price. I am also involved in a project in South London, which is modeled on Venezuelas El Sistema. Students received two hours of instrumental tuition each week and then are brought together once a week with students from other schools for a third hour, to play as a large ensemble together. All this is completely free to the students and is aimed at students who are having difficulties at school or home. It is my understanding that other music hubs run similar projects and provide similar levels of music tuition, though I am sure there is regional variation in this. The second point I would like to address your assertion that young people are more interested in vacuous celebrity culture and inane talent shows" than classical music. In my experience, young people are generally interested in various styles of music including classical music. Only the other day, a student of my asked if we could play a piece of music she had heard and when she sang it to me, it was Morgenstemning from Peer Gynt. Another student of mine writes his own pieces in various styles and last year some students of mine wrote and performed a musical about the fall of the Berlin Wall. However these are the young people you have dismissed with your comments: imagine how these aspiring musicians would feel to know that a wellrespected and revered composer such as yourself has such a low opinion of them? As I am sure you can imagine, they would be devastated. I would also like to reassure you that major classical works are still studied in state schools. Whilst working at a secondary school my students studied and performed a

variety of works including Mozarts Symphony No. 40, Peter and the Wolf, Cages Sonatas and Interludes, Beethoven Sixth Symphony, Reichs Electric Counterpoint, Tristan and Isolde and Brandenburg Concerto Number No. 4. However I also gave them the opportunity to study, perform and compose in other traditions such as Indian Raga, West African polyphony, Jazz, Reggae, Ska, Pop, Hip Hop, Dance and many other styles. To my mind, young people should have the opportunity to experience all styles of music and I would never dream of excluding classical music from my lessons, however I do not think it should be given preference over other styles of music, as they are all equally valid. I am heartened to hear that you intend to spend your retirement helping young people access classical music and I warmly invite you to observe or become involved in the projects and educational activities I am part of. I also hope, that I have given you some reassurance that classical music is not in danger of dying out in schools quite yet, and that there is a future generation of aspiring musicians to safeguard its continuation.