Latest news with #EdSheeranFoundation
Metro
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Devastating news for 80s and 90s kids — this childhood staple is going extinct
Once a week, every week at primary school, we would gather cross-legged on the classroom floor in a circle, wielding a recorder. The ear-splitting sound of Three Blind Mice (or something akin to it) would fill the room for a good 20 minutes thereafter, until we were all out of puff from blowing into the plastic instrument. It's strange to think about now, but for many of us 80s and 90s kids, the humble recorder would've been our very first taste of music and it likely inspired some of our classmates to go on to play the trumpet, violin, or piano. But in a devastating turn of events, it seems the squeaky childhood staple is at risk of going extinct in schools. New research, by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), has found that the number of children playing the recorder at school has almost halved in the last decade. In 2014, 28% of primary school children played the recorder, while now that figure sits at just 16%, with one in six children learning to play it. Instead the youth of today are predominantly being taught to play bangers like London's Burning on ukuleles or guitars instead. The survey of 1,000 children aged between five and 17, also revealed that the number of students who sang at school has decreased over the last 10 years, going from 66% to 54%. While the recorder might not be a firm favourite anymore and has been declared one of the most 'given up' instruments, a number of others have seen a rise in popularity of late. Outside of school, for private music lessons the piano remains the most popular instrument choice, followed by the electric guitar, drums, flute and violin. The number of children playing electric guitar rose from 13% in 2014 to 17% today, while the number of kids playing the flute has more than doubled going from 7% to 15%. Overwhelmingly, 84% of young people said making, learning and engaging with music was key to their mental health, however there was found to be a sharp drop in pupils learning music between the age of 12 and 15 – which we all know can be an especially difficult time. For some this change was due to the cost of music lessons – which was found to be a 'barrier' preventing 29% of children from learning to play any instruments at all. This is something singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has recently been vocal about, writing to Prime Minister Keir Starmer asking him to create £250m of funding for music education in schools and youth groups. As part of the Ed Sheeran Foundation's Protect & Grow Music Education letter, he said: 'Learning an instrument and getting up on stage – whether in school or a community club – is now a luxury not every child can afford.' More Trending He then asked the government to provide funding for music in the same way that it's given for sports, and encouraged the training of more music teachers. Speaking about the research, ABRSM chief executive Chris Cobb said: 'Children get to play an instrument for the first time in large classes. The recorder has been great for that but schools are now looking at other instruments that can be used – the ukulele and acoustic guitar among them. Singing is also a key part of whole-class music-making.' He continued: 'The mental health benefits of music are hugely important at a time when mental illness is so rife but there are so many other benefits too. The tragedy is that the same research shows how young people disengage from music learning, both when they shift to secondary school and when they start GCSEs. 'The challenge facing us all is how we can support schools and the communities around them to help young people continue experiencing the benefits of music.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ed Sheeran Taps Harry Styles, Central Cee for Letter Urging U.K. Government to Fund Music
Amid teasing his next album, Ed Sheeran has called on the U.K. government to secure longterm funding for music education in an open letter backed by Harry Styles, Elton John, Central Cee, and more. The letter (which is available to read on Sheeran's Instagram) was sent to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.K. government officials, asking them to commit £250 million (about $322 million) to 'repair decades of dismantling music.' It notes that the music industry brings £7.6 billion into the U.K. economy each year, 'yet the next generation is not there to take the reins.' More from Rolling Stone Ed Sheeran Reveals 'Album Done,' Teases New Single Elton John and Brandi Carlile Concert in London Will Be Filmed for CBS Special Ed Sheeran Plays Surprise Set at Boston Pub for St. Patrick's Day 'I launched the Ed Sheeran Foundation because I believe in the importance of music and that music education should be accessible to all,' Sheeran said in a statement. 'When I was at school, music gave me purpose, it helped with my mental health, it bought me and many others joy, and it gave me my career.' Sheeran said that recent conversations with students and teachers led him to believe that 'music education is suffering,' and kids with the talent and passion to pursue music 'don't have the support to realize their dreams of entering the music industry.' The letter lays out five areas the Ed Sheeran Foundation wants to address. That includes funding music programs in schools similar to the way sports programs are funded in the U.K.; training 1,000 music teachers to address a serious drop in recruitment (and the closure of university music departments); and establishing a new task force of teachers and industry professionals to create 'a diverse, industry-informed curriculum.' The Foundation also hopes to launch a U.K.-wide fund to support grassroots, youth-focused venues and music spaces. And it wants to improve 'fair and industry-fit music apprenticeships' across the country, including 'new festival apprenticeships and industry readiness support for youth at-risk.' Sheeran added in his statement: 'This creative industry brings so much to our culture, our communities, our economy, our personal wellbeing, but music education has fallen through the gaps. That's why I'm tasking government, collectively, to correct the mistakes of its past and to protect and grow this for generations to come.' Other signatories of the letter include Coldplay, Stormzy, Dave, Yolanda Brown, Myles Smith, Annie Lennox, Paloma Faith, Sleaford Mods, members of Mumford & Sons, Fred. Again, Eric Clapton, James Bay, Richard Curtis, Robert Plant, and Maisie Peters. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
BBC News
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ed Sheeran: Singer calls for more money for music education
Ed Sheeran has written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer asking for more money to support music education in part of the Ed Sheeran Foundation's Protect & Grow Music Education letter, the popstar says that "music in and out of school should be for all, not a few".Ed Sheeran is asking the government to create funding for music in the same way that sport is funded in schools, as well as training more music teachers and supporting music youth groups outside the classroom.A government spokesperson has said in response: "We are committed to ensuring art, music and drama are no longer the preserve of a privileged few."We are also expanding the Creative Careers Programme to £3 million over the next financial year, to help provide even more schoolchildren with information, advice and guidance on creative career routes." The Ed Sheeran Foundation was launched by the Shape of You singer at the start of this year to campaign for music education. In an open letter to the government, Ed Sheeran called for £250m of funding for teaching music and supporting pupils' creative ambitions, which he says is needed "to repair decades of dismantling music"."Learning an instrument and getting up on stage – whether in school or a community club – is now a luxury not every child can afford," the letter comes after musicians Ezra Collective spoke about how it's important to support children learning music at this year's Brit Awards. Speaking to Newsround, Femi from Ezra Collective said that he's worried that not all children may get a chance to play an instrument and be musician said: "Our dream is that every school in the country has access to a full band's worth of equipment, so that every single Ezra Collective that is in any school in the country can get their chance eventually."Last year, Newsround spoke to music charity Young Sounds UK, whose work includes giving free instruments and lessons to children who may not be able to access music Director Neil Phillips said: "We all love music, so if we don't have music education, then we're not going to have musicians coming through and creating that amazing music we want to listen to." The government has said that it is working hard to ensure "high and rising standards" in music.A government spokesperson said: "To help achieve this, our Curriculum and Assessment Review will seek to deliver a broader curriculum."Our new National Centre for Music and Arts Education will promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school."
