The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
School music cuts ‘stupidest thing ever,’ says Lloyd Webber
EDUCATION: West End legend says arts programmes benefit all children
West End musical impresario Lord Lloyd Webber has criticised successive governments for cutting the music budget in schools.
The composer branded the budget cuts the “stupidest thing that could ever have happened”, and said music had the ability to transform struggling schools.
Lord Lloyd Webber said: “I passionately believe that the cuts to the arts and to the music budgets in schools by successive governments is probably the stupidest thing that could have ever happened. It’s a complete false economy because it is essential to get music and the arts in general back into our schools big time.”
Lord Lloyd Webber highlighted the work one school in north London did a decade ago with music to improve behaviour and attainment.
“The school was pretty much about to be closed because it was in special measures and all that,” he said. “It was turned around by a scheme using music – every child who arrived was given a free violin, then music lessons.
“In many cases this violin was the first thing that these kids had actually owned.
“The music literally turned the school around – within four years they got their first scholarship to Oxford.
“I got in touch with the headmistress and she now runs something called the Music in Secondary Schools Trust.
“This scheme proves if you bring music into schools, it helps on every level, from behaviour through to academic level of achievement and selfesteem. Music is an empowering force.”
Lord Lloyd Webber was in conversation with screenwriter Richard Curtis about his career during an event at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.
He revealed he had just finished writing a version of Cinderella.
“It’s a very alternative take on it,” he said. “It’s written by Emerald Fennell who did the second series of Killing Eve.”