Archived decisions

THE MUSIC MANIFESTO

1. The Hampshire Music Service is acknowledged as being one of the foremost music services in the country. It receives frequent accolades and invitations for Hampshire ensembles to perform at very high profile events, such as the annual Music for Youth Schools Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, London. As a positive new development, the Executive Member for Education has endorsed, on behalf of the County Council, Hampshire Music Service becoming a signatory to the Government's Music Manifesto. This pledges support of those aims within the Manifesto for the period 2005 - 08 by:-

· Offering to 3 000 children, annually, the chance to attend their first concert - a "Primary Prom" Concert, to introduce them to a range of exciting music ensembles, and different styles of music.

· Developing, piloting and sharing with all Hampshire maintained primary and special schools, wider opportunities modules, including ukulele, violin, recorder, keyboard, fife, samba and guitar, to offer access to instrumental playing to more primary-aged children for the first time.

· Developing further the existing Hampshire Music Ensembles to provide regular, high quality playing and signing opportunities for a further 550 musicians, an increase of 20% over current numbers.

2. The funding for these initiatives is available within existing resources. The Children's Services Policy Review Committee have given full support to the new development and paid tribute to the Hampshire Music Service and its ensembles. There is to be a further report in due course on the roll-out of the wider musical opportunities programme to all Hampshire Primary Schools during the academic year to 2006/07. This will include a progress report on the pledges which have been made.

3. The above decision supports aims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy