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Over the summer, we have been reflecting on the last year, which offered some amazing opportunities for children and young people across Devon and Torbay. It started with an incredible visit from classical music superstar Sheku Kanneh-Mason to Braunton Academy and ended with members of The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and NYO Inspire taking over St Peter's Church of England Aided School, Exeter for the day. Amazingly, a handful of Devon young musicians who were involved in this event even got to perform with the NYO at the Royal Albert Hall as part of a televised BBC Proms concert in August.
During 2023-24, 14,000 children and young people engaged with a Hub-supported live music event or workshops including...
- Explore the Orchestra and KS4 Set Works Live events with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
- Chorister Outreach Programme with Exeter Cathedral.
- The Mix Festival at Bridwell Park.
- Devon Secondary Schools Battle of the Bands,
- Regional and National Festivals with Music For Youth.
- BBC Devon Bandstand performances at Devon County Show.
- TryStock and Exeter Cathedral events with Teachers Rock...who also appeared on Britain's Got Talent and recorded at Abbey Road Studios!
...and many, many other amazing collaborative events and initiatives. Thank you to the Hub team as well as all of our Hub partner organisations, schools, young musicians and parents/carers for helping to make all of this possible.
We are looking forward working with you all to continue supporting children and young people to access an inclusive, diverse and relevant music education offer over the year ahead. We are delighted to be extending our reach to Plymouth from September as part of a nationwide reorganisation of Music Hub provision.
While no longer responsible for leading the Hub, Plymouth City Council will continue to play an important role as a strategic delivery partner still, with significant Hub funding delegated to support a local offer for schools, including instrumental teaching, ensembles, and advice and support for schools. In fact, many of your day-to-day contacts will continue to be with the existing Plymouth Youth Music Service team.
Retaining this valuable provision means that there will be some noticeable differences between the Hub offer for Plymouth and other areas of Devon. For example, Devon and Torbay schools do not benefit from a subsidised traded music service and so they are offered delegated Music Education Grant funding to support the deliver Whole Class Ensemble Tuition (WCET) and other initiatives. This will not be the full extent of the Hub offer for Plymouth, however, and we hope you will notice many exciting developments over the coming months.
Thank you for your continued commitment to music education and best wishes for a successful year ahead. Best, Lewis
One of the key recommendations of the revised National Plan for Music Education (published June 2022) is that all schools should have a Music Development Plan. While this guidance is not new, DfE have recently reiterated and strengthened the wording, and now expects all schools to include a summary of their Music Development Plan on their website by September 2024. A suggested template is now available – the template is not mandatory, and schools should feel free to adapt it.
Devon Music Education Hub has produced a Music Development Plan self-evaluation tool – this goes above and beyond DfE requirements and is intended to support schools with this process. To be eligible to receive Music Education Grant (MEG) funding, maintained schools and academies in Devon and Torbay will need to share their self-evaluation judgment with the Hub, as well as completing a basic data submission. Additional support is available from your local Music Development Lead.
*Please note that Plymouth schools are not eligible for MEG funding.
We had a super afternoon with Superlocrian on Sunday 8 September with over 40 woodwind, brass and percussion players from across Devon joining us at King Edward VI Community College, Totnes for our first 'Come and Play' event of the academic year. Led by our very own Sam Massey, Superlocrian are one of the UK's leading chamber jazz ensemble, featuring top professional musicians that have performed with everyone from Becky Hill to Shirley Bassey.
This event formed part of a wider Devon residency funded by public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, which also involved performances in local schools and community venues, as well as a workshop for young musicians at SaMM (Saturday Morning Music). A big thank you to Superlocrian for inspiring our young musicians!
We have made a few changes to geographical areas of responsibility for the Hub's team of local Music Development Leads. Music Development Leads are on hand to help maintained schools and academies, music educators, community organisations and Hub-supported partners with advice and support around music education. They coordinate a wide range of projects and events in their areas and have strategic responsibilities as part of our senior leadership team. Each one of our Music Development Leads and expert music educator in their own right.
Devon Music Education Hub invites you to connect, collaborate, and create at our upcoming Hub Networking Events, designed especially for schools, Visiting Music Teachers, Hub-supported partners and anyone interested in finding out more about music education.
What to expect:
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Warm welcome: Enjoy tea, coffee and cake whilst listening to musical performances from talented young people from the local area.
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Meet your Local Music Development Lead: A chance to meet/consult with the Hub’s Music Development Lead for your geographical area. Discover how they can support your music work.
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Strategic Direction: As we launch our exciting plans for 2024/25, learn about the Hub’s strategic direction and how it aligns with national aspirations. Have your say on how should develop our Local Plan for Music Education.
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Programme of events and training for the year: Get an overview of forthcoming events, workshops and professional development opportunities over the year ahead.
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Develop new partnerships: Explore opportunities for collaborative working and build new partnerships that will enrich the musical experiences of the young people you work with.
Whether you’re looking to network with fellow educators, gain insight into the future of music education, or simply enjoy some great performances, these events are not to be missed.
- 4-6pm Wednesday 25 September 2024 | The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington
- 4-6pm Monday 30 September 2024 | Stage Left, Paignton
- 4-6pm Tuesday 1 October 2024 | Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
We look forward to seeing you there!
Sign up now to be part of the Exeter Cathedral Chorister Outreach Programme and give your pupils the opportunity to perform with other local schools in this iconic building that has been supporting young people in Devon to sing for hundreds of years. During 2024-25 we will be working with schools in East Devon (autumn), Mid Devon (spring) and Plymouth (summer).
This is your change to try an orchestral instrument for free. Come along and find our more about Ivybridge Music Centre's Future Musician programme for primary school children in years 4, 5 and 6, and the Kick-Start programme for secondary school students in years 7 to 13.
Ivybridge Music Centre offers Future Musicians to years 4, 5 and 6 on the following instruments:
- Violin
- Cello
- Flute
- Clarinet
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- Tuba
- Percussion
The Kick-Start programme for years 7 to 13 is offered on the following instruments:
- Cello
- Double Bass
- Trombone
- Tuba
- Percussion
Ivybridge Music Centre is a Hub-supported activity organised in partnership with Ivybridge Community College.
The BSO Young Associates is a seven-month music leader training programme for 18-26 year olds under-represented in the arts. It will provide a career springboard for three talented young people to develop skills in music leading through practical experience, training and mentoring. No music leading experience required – we’re looking for potential!
Bursary: £7,000 (split into monthly payments)
Time commitment: At least 10 days a month from November 2024-May 2025. The programme will work around your other commitments.
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is looking for people with the potential to be a great communicator, connect with people from different backgrounds, and take their musical and creative skills to the next level. To apply to be a BSO Young Associate you must:
- Be a musician, vocalist, music producer, composer, sound artist, MC or songwriter of any genre
- Play music to a sufficiently high standard
- Embrace different styles of music and be keen to learn new skills
- Be passionate about music making with people of all ages, abilities and needs
- Created to support those who are underrepresented in the arts, the programme is for musicians aged 18-26 (although applicants aged up to 30 can be considered) who are:
- from lower income backgrounds
- of Global Majority heritage
- identify as disabled, D/deaf or Neurodivergent
We recognise that applicants may face other barriers not specified here, including the challenges of rural isolation in the South West.
If you have any questions about the programme or would like to find out more, join our Zoom Q&A on Tuesday 10 September at 4pm. Please email participate@bsorchestra.co.uk if you would like to attend.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview/audition on Tuesday 24 or Wednesday 25 September in Poole. Your travel expenses will be reimbursed for attending this interview day.
Devon Music Education Hub are seeking to appoint a friendly, efficient and enthusiastic person to join our small but busy team as our new Administration and Logistics Coordinator.
The role will be mainly office based at our premises in Willand, Cullompton. The successful applicant will be required to drive the Hub van across the county undertaking delivery and collection of our instrument stock to schools.
You will be the first point of contact for parents, schools and visitors to the office and will be required to perform a varied range of administrative and logistics planning tasks. Apply now via Devon Jobs!
Hub Networking Events
Wednesday 25 September 2024 | The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington
Monday 30 September 2024 | Stage Left, Paignton
Tuesday 1 October 2024 | Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
Ivybridge Music Centre - Come and try an instrument
Wednesday 25 September 2024 | Ivybridge Community College
Wells Cathedral School Oboe and Bassoon Day
Saturday 12 October 2024 | Wells Cathedral School
The Melting Pot
Thursday 31 October 2024 | The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington
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