School music lessons suffering death by a thousand cuts, warns expert

MUSIC tuition in schools could disappear in some parts of Scotland because of cuts, experts have warned.

A study by the Instrumental Music Teachers’ Network has identified nine councils who are cutting budgets for music lessons by a total of £1 million.

Analysis of council budgets showed the biggest reduction is being made in West Lothian, which will endure a £275,000 cut. Dumfries and Galloway will see cuts of £202,000 while South Lanarkshire is reducing expenditure by £100,000. Other councils cutting budgets include Angus, Fife, Moray and Perth and Kinross.

The Music Teachers’ Network said onequarter of Scotland’s 32 local authorities were raising charges for music lessons, but some, including Dundee and Midlothian, had scrapped charges.

Mark Traynor, the convener of the network, warned school music lessons were suffering “death by a thousand cuts”.

He said: “At the moment there is general support for instrumental music, but if we continue on the path we’re going down with these cuts it won’t be long before we see some of these instrumental music services going to the wall.

“We may see some services disappearing and in the next two to three years the greatest challenge facing instrumental music tuition will be its survival.”

Dr David McGuiness, a senior lecturer in music at Glasgow University, said learning an instrument in school and being part of an orchestra or band provided “powerful lessons” for future life.

He said: “It’s not just about music. It’s about all the other things you learn such as teamwork, organisation and punctuality because pupils are working together towards a common aim with a deadline – because the audience will turn up regardless.”

However, councils said that, although charges could rise to compensate for cuts in some areas, music tuition would remain a critical part of the education service.

A spokesman for West Lothian said it did not charge any pupils for music tuition and had no intention of introducing fees in future.

He added: “The proposed future budget of £900,000 per year for instrumental music would still give West Lothian one of the bestresourced services in Scotland.”

South Lanarkshire also stressed that their instrumental music service would continue.