NEW MUSIC CENTRES TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ARGYLL AND BUTE

Argyll and Bute Council is to set up five new music centres as part of a reorganisation of the provision of musical instrument provision in schools.

After school music centres will be established in Campbeltown, Lochgilphead, Oban and Dunoon, and a Saturday centre will open up in Helensburgh.

In addition, individual solutions will be devised for the area’s island communities.

The move comes following the conclusion of a Best Value Review of the Council’s arrangements for formal tuition in a range of musical instruments, which was initiated in March 2009.

That Review included a comprehensive consultation process which involved interviews with pupils and music instructors and the distribution of questionnaires to head teachers, principal teachers with responsibility for music and parents.

The process revealed significant inequality in access to tuition across Argyll and Bute and, where tuition is available, restriction in the range of tuition on offer.

It also highlighted the fact that music instructors currently spend a considerable amount of time each week travelling between schools, resulting in a reduction in the amount of tuition time available.

Councillor Isobel Strong, spokesperson for Education and Lifelong Learning, said the new music centres would address many of the concerns.

“The increase in efficiency, accessibility and inclusivity offered by these centres, coupled with the improved opportunities to form effective tuition groups and ensembles, will offer a significant enhancement to the service currently available,” she added.

At present, musical instruments are available on loan from the Council for up to two years. However, this is only accessible to 30% of pupils currently receiving tuition due to the number of instruments available.

The Council has also now agreed to charge a nominal rent for the use of its instruments. This will create additional resources to repair, replace and increase the current stock.

In addition, in order to allow for sufficient flexibility in instructor timetables, the minimum number of instrumental lessons available to pupils per year is to reduce from 30 to 26.

Councillor Strong said: “These changes will result in greater equality of access to instrumental tuition, efficiency improvements in the management and administration of the service and a sustainable solution to the continuing provision and maintenance of our stock of instruments.

“We have so many talented young people in Argyll and Bute, and these measures will ensure that as many as possible of them will be able to take up formal music tuition in the years ahead. ”

It is anticipated that the new music centres will hold open days in August 2010, and begin tuition sessions in September.