Friday 5 March 2010

MUSIC

Hilton School for many years excelled at the local Music Festival winning several trophies for choral singing. It was an exciting experience for the children, and inspiring for the parents and the local community. Then the Council cut its budgets and Hilton School lost it's visiting music teacher. Hilton School nolonger participates in the Music Festival and a valuable life experience for the children is gone. Now I read today that the Council are considering cutting music tuition as well. For so many children, this will be another lost opportunity to experience something very precious and important in life. There are clearly some very hard funding decisions to be made in the coming months.I hope that music isn't lost altogether from the opportunities given to children within local authority schools, as a result of the cuts which are undoubtedly coming. Here's the petition link.

2 comments:

Murray said...

Who would want to be a Highland Councillor? Care homes, grit fo the roads, music tuition ... They are having to make never ending decisions on what services to restrict or axe. The petition site has some insightful alternatives though, apart from the obvious "hands off." Among them was the suggestion that businesses could sponsor some of the service. And, one does wonder with a church brim full of talented musicians for those who have an aptitude to teach does this not present an opportunity for community involvement? Why should the Hilton Primary School choir not still be going on from strength to strength?

duncan said...

I had thoughts in this direction too, Murray! I think it would be very hard for congregations to provide the kind of contribution that musical teachers are currently making. It's possible that churches with their buildings could become a focus for musical tuition within communities. In a culture where people generally seem to be busier and busier, one of the challenges would be finding volunteers who were able to be involved in a sustained way.