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Topic: The quiet decline of music in British schools  (Read 923 times)

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Re: The quiet decline of music in British schools
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2018, 07:13:27 PM »
Oh, that's a shame! Being in the concert band was the only thing that kept me from dropping out of high school. (I was bored to tears, but music was another world.)  I do hate to see them cutting out one subject. Better to scale back on all of them, to save money, if they have to. But never just pick out a few "electives" and torpedo them. They may be the only classes that really matter to someone.


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Re: The quiet decline of music in British schools
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2018, 08:09:28 AM »
Reading music is an international language.
I just hope that more people will ignore the fatalism of the argument that we are beyond repair. We are not beyond repair. We are never beyond repair. - AOC


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Re: The quiet decline of music in British schools
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2018, 02:14:02 PM »
I forwarded the story to my husband, phatbeetle, and he said that he wasn't surprised.

He said that music lessons in his school (back in the 70's & 80's) were an hour twice a week and they did "music appreciation" so no actual musical instrument instruction, never mind reading music. The kids he knew who could play music got private lessons in their own time and at their own expense. I asked my SIL yesterday if her children, who are currently in school, if they have musical instruction and she said it was two hours a week of "appreciation". Her kids said it was a very boring class and have no interest in continuing it. It's no wonder that they don't see it as a loss.

My kids in here in Texas have been learning instruments since fifth grade and they continued it all the way through to twelfth grade. They have had practical music instruction daily in class and in high school, they practice after school for a minimum of two hours daily (including some Saturdays) during marching band season and tutorials during concert band season. They also have summer band where they practice from 7am-5pm, Monday through Friday, for the four weeks leading to the start of the new school year. They have to learn their marching program and get used to the high heat and humidity of Houston and be ready for football. It's a commitment and a true labor of love.

The music program here has done wonders for our kids but it takes more than an hour twice a week to foster an interest. It's a shame.


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Re: The quiet decline of music in British schools
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2018, 02:59:02 PM »
Texas is hardcore with music education and that sounds like an amazing programme for your kids.
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Re: The quiet decline of music in British schools
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2018, 09:56:40 PM »
Texas is hardcore with music education and that sounds like an amazing programme for your kids.

Yeah, they have been for years. I had to be at school at 7:00 for before-school practice. School started at 8 - and Band was first period and study hall. Then I had "sectional" tutoring (the particular instrument only) one day a week after school was out. When it got close to a game at which we were going to march, or a concert or competition there'd be after-school rehearsals in lieu of sectionals.  I still have recordings of some of our concerts.

The band instructors definitely earn their pay.


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Re: The quiet decline of music in British schools
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2018, 10:09:35 PM »
Wouldn’t surprise me... my daughters school has a band, but you have to pay some company (rock steady) to be part of it. It breaks my heart because she enjoys music, much like me but it’s really expensive. To settle we got her a kids drum kit and keyboard for Christmas. She does play them a lot, so we may end up forking the money out.


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I've never gotten food on my underpants!
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