Lloyd Webber’s fury over plans to slash funds for children
LORD Andrew Lloyd Webber has hit out over plans to slash funding for a leading Scottish music project that works with disadvantaged children.
The renowned composer spoke out amid concerns over proposals to almost halve the budget for Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise orchestra in Stirling.
His warning comes as youngsters across the UK face having funding for music education reduced, which Lloyd Webber branded ‘scandalous’.
He said: ‘The removal of funding from music in schools is fast becoming a farce as well as a national scandal.
‘Even a financial dimwit can see that the removal of public funding from music provision such as Sistema Scotland is both damaging to children, their families and the community, as well as being a huge false economy.
‘Music is a proven asset to everything from children’s behaviour to academic achievement.’
The threat to Big Noise follows growing fears for music education in schools across the UK in the face of ever-tougher budgets from central government.
Last month, it emerged that Bingley Grammar School in Yorkshire was charging students £5 a week for theory classes as part of their music GCSE, a move branded ‘shocking’ by the Incorporated Society of Musicians.
Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, who became patron of Lord Lloyd Webber’s Trust in 2016 and is a board member of Sistema Scotland, has described the planned cuts to Big Noise’s funding as a ‘travesty’.
Stirling Council has proposed cutting the budget for the The Big Noise orchestra in Raploch by almost half from £500,000 to £275,000 by 2022.
A petition opposing the proposed cuts started by Vicky Blair, the mother of a child who performs with Big Noise in Raploch, has gained nearly 2,500 signatures in a week.
Sistema Scotland was praised this week by the Scottish Government for its ‘significant, positive impact’ on children.
It has warned that Stirling Council’s proposal could ‘devastate’ the community of Raploch, which is among the most deprived in the country.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon congratulated Big Noise Raploch on its tenth birthday last week and said the Scottish Government has given £2.5million to Sistema Scotland for Big Noise Raploch and sister schemes in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.
The Scottish charity was inspired by the El Sistema youth orchestra movement, which was founded in Venezuela in 1975.
Stirling Council has stressed the funding cuts are among a range of options being considered as it tries to deliver services within reduced budgets.
Last month, it emerged that local authorities across Scotland were charging record fees for music lessons in schools as they struggled to provide tuition in the face of multi-million pound reductions in Scottish Government funding.
Unions have warned that pupils could lose the chance to study music at school altogether if any council axed instrument lessons. ment to the city during the darkest months.’
The 201 festival began on January 1 with a very special Celtic Connections 25th Anniversary Concert.
Artists performing included Cherish the Ladies, Sharon Shannon, String Sisters, Louis Abbott and Eddi Reader.
Artistic director Donald Shaw has confirmed that in future years his role will focus on developing more of the special commissions and major one-off shows.
He said: ‘Now that the Scottish Government Expo Fund has been opened up to us, it is important we make the most of this opportunity to develop more of the unique collaborations and one-off shows.’
‘Huge part of our cultural calendar’