Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1. The following decision is sought:

1.2. That grants totalling £22,710 be awarded from the sum earmarked by the Leader for Music and Dance Awards.

2) Issues Covered in Report:

2.1. To ensure that the musical opportunities available to gifted and talented young Hampshire musicians continue to be provided for at the highest appropriate level in order to support their musical progression and aspirations. The report gives details of additional ensemble provision that will support the specific area of string playing for more advanced young musicians.

2.2. To ensure that the musical achievements of young Hampshire musicians are able to be celebrated, and their learning enhanced, through participation in significant national events. The report gives details of two highly successful music ensembles that have represented Hampshire nationally.

3) Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

3.1. A grant of £21,000 for the purchase of four instruments - to be know as the Hampshire String Quartet, be approved.

3.2. A grant of £1,710 for the additional costs to two Hampshire music ensembles of participating in the Music for Youth Schools' Proms 2008, in the Royal Albert Hall, be approved.

MAIN REPORT

1) Contextual Information:

1.1. The Leader's Music and Dance scheme enables the County Council to support gifted and talented young musicians. These young people are at a watershed in their musical development. Support, tuition and resources are available to all young people of school age through the statutory National Curriculum, and in extended curriculum provision such as is available in Hampshire Music Service (HMS) ensembles. Beyond this, however, the most gifted and talented young people have specific, additional needs, including access to high quality musical instruments and opportunities to experience and learn through performances at national events.

1.2. A number of Hampshire ensembles achieved outstanding success at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham in July 2008. Subsequently two ensembles were invited to perform at the Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall on 11 November 2008. An application has been received for financial support for their participation in this concert. An application has also been made to provide a specific instrument resource for the most talented and needy young string players.

2) Key Issues:

2.1. Hampshire County Council is committed to supporting its talented and gifted young people. Hampshire Music Service is the main channel through which young musicians can access high level musical opportunities to enable their talents to be nurtured.

2.2. Music is an area of growth amongst young people's interests. Alongside the County Council's provision of Awards and Ensemble provision through Hampshire Music Service, the Government has committed additional budget to enable every child at Key Stage 2 to learn a musical instrument. Children from all backgrounds will now have an equal opportunity to discover their musical talents, at no initial cost to their parents/carers.

2.3. This growth in early music-making is apparent in the increased level of vocal and instrumental work in schools and in the work of Hampshire Music Service. This is leading to even higher levels of achievement in our ensembles - with invitations to perform in more national events, and to the need for more high quality instruments for the most talented, needy young people.

3) Supporting and developing gifted and talented young string players.

3.1. Through the excellent work of HMS, the country's leading Music Service, Hampshire has continued to develop the quality of its string playing at all levels.

3.2. A recent emphasis on opportunities for gifted and talented young string players has led to national recognition of excellence in Hampshire. The `Vivaldi Project' lead by the HMS string consultant Christopher Hirons recently received `Outstanding Performance' at the finals for the National Music for Youth' in Birmingham, and gave a brilliant performance at the Schools Prom in The Royal Albert Hall, London on November 11 2008.

3.3. HMS is able to offer expert tuition to young string players of all ages and stages of development. Wider opportunities whole class tuition (Listen2Me) at key stage 2, a Government-funded programme, gives younger children an initial experience of playing an instrument. Small group tuition in both key stages 2 and 3 help further develop skills. More advanced gifted and talented children have the opportunity to audition for an award which provides one to one tuition.

3.4. Whilst a wide range of quality ensemble playing opportunities are available, catering for all levels of performance, HMS is unable to assist more advanced players with the loan of suitable musical instruments.

3.5. HMS owns a large quantity of student instruments which are suitable for beginner and intermediate players. More advanced players require better quality violins, violas and `cellos to enable them to reach their full potential. Investing in better quality instruments would provide less advantaged gifted and talented Hampshire musicians with the opportunity to play on an instrument that matches their level of performance, further raising standards.

3.6. Investing in a `Quartet' of string instruments (two violins, a viola and a `cello together with bows and cases) would provide a lasting legacy benefiting future generations of Hampshire musicians for many years to come.

3.7. A young person with access to a quality instrument would be able to reach their potential impacting positively on their career path, potentially making enough of a difference to open doors into the world of the professional musician.

3.8. Gifted and talented string players with a need would be identified and those selected given the opportunity to borrow a quality instrument to help further their studies. The loan would be on a formal, fixed term basis, renewable dependant on circumstances, satisfactory progress and a demonstrable commitment to music making in Hampshire.

3.9. It is hoped that the instruments could be sourced locally. They would remain the property of HMS. They would be adequately insured and maintained in good playing order. With careful management and routine maintenance, this investment could last indefinitely.

3.10. This bid is for a grant of £21,000 to resource a "Hampshire String Quartet"

4) Hampshire's Outstanding Musicians perform at the Music for Youth Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall - 11 November 2008

4.1. An excellent outcome of the broad ranging and outstandingly successful Hampshire string project, led by Hampshire Music Service, was the invitation to perform at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham in July 2008. The performance by the " Hampshire Vivaldi Project" ensemble received the Outstanding Award for string ensembles.

4.2. The Japanese Drumming Group "Oku Nojo Daiko" - current and former students from Oak Farm Secondary School, Farnborough, also received high praise at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham in July 2008. The group received the "New Composition" award.

4.3. Both the Vivaldi String Project and Oku Nojo Daiko ensembles were subsequently invited to perform at the Music for Youth Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday 11 November 2008. Each group made a splendid musical contribution to the whole evening, and both received enthusiastic ovations.

4.4. To ensure that these ensembles gave their best performance at the concert and placed Hampshire in the best profile at this national event, each ensemble prepared thoroughly with additional tutoring, preparation and rehearsal time. For example, the Vivaldi ensemble preparations involved Christopher Hirons, external string consultant, the booking of rehearsal spaces, transport of staff, tutors and instruments to rehearsals and the event itself.

4.5. On 11 November, each group incurred substantial travel and subsistence costs. Rehearsals began early on the day, with the evening performance finishing at 10 p.m. There were considerable additional costs to each of these highly successful ensembles.

4.6. In July 2008, the Leader agreed a budget from his one-off Awards scheme to support all the ensembles that performed in the National Festival in Birmingham. Neither of the two groups that performed at the Royal Albert Hall has a substantial parents association to raise additional significant sums to subsidise the transport / subsistence for the groups. In the Vivaldi ensemble, for example some of the members are now at University/College and had to travel from these various locations to London for the event. This group was established specifically for a performance at the HCC Chairman's concert in March 2008, and it was never anticipated that additional funding would be required once the group had fulfilled its original brief at that event. Their success at that event, and subsequently, means that this group of individually gifted and talented string players has a national reputation, with their performance at the Royal Albert Hall being a new, and costly, expectation to fulfil.

4.7. This bid is for a sum of £1,710 towards the additional tutoring; coach/van/travel costs; subsistence and staffing costs that was incurred by these groups for this highest profile, national event.

5) Outline of Options:

5.1. Option 1:

a) Not to provide support.

5.2. Option 2:

a) Support the proposal through the offer of award funding.

6) Option Analysis / Comparison:

6.1. Not to provide support.

a) This would substantially restrict equality of opportunity for gifted and talented young musicians in Hampshire. Talented yet needy string players would be in the position of being restricted to instruments that did not allow their potential, including taking studies to a higher level, to be achieved with possible restriction of career opportunity.

b) The costs of the necessary preparations for, and transport to the Schools Proms would be borne from other music budgets - thereby reducing funding for other musical priorities, and for other young people. Future participation in national festivals and Music for Youth events, where success frequently leads to further opportunities to perform, would be discouraged. Hampshire's well-deserved excellent musical profile would become restricted.

6.2. Support the proposal through the offer of award funding.

The proposals would enable more young people to experience high-quality string playing and music ensemble learning opportunities on national platforms. The establishment of a "Hampshire String Quartet" will be a permanent opportunity for talented, needy, young musicians. The instruments will be a permanent resource available for young players as they progress into their higher levels of achievement through Hampshire's outstanding music education provision.

7) Conclusions:

7.1. The proposals fully support and complement Hampshire's current commitments to high quality opportunities in music for all, especially the most talented and gifted. It is just such vision that, in recent years, has led Hampshire to be the Major Trophy winner of the National Music Council's Local Authority Music Awards in both 2004 and in 2008.

8) Recommendations:

8.1 The grants of £22,710 be approved.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

No adverse impact on any group of young people has been identified. The proposed grants are designed to enable and encourage young people to fulfil their musical potential.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

N/A

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

· No impact identified

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

·