Trust to lead on bringing music to Newham children

by Kay Atwal, Chief Reporter Friday, June 29, 2012
8:00 AM

Newham Music Trust will be spearheading a drive to bring music education to the borough’s children for the next three years.

The Trust has been successful in a major bid to the Arts Council England to lead a new Music Education Hub for Newham.

It will now be the lead organisation to drive forward music education development in Newham until March 2015. The Newham Academy of Music forms part of the Newham Music Trust, currently run from NewVIc, the Newham Sixth Form College.

Its partnership will include schools, orchestras and other local and national arts organisations who will work together to promote the highest quality music education provision, and to create joined up music education provision for children and young people.

It will run a full ‘cradle to college’ musical offer, to support and integrate with the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales’ ‘Every Child a Musician’ programme.

Hubs will be the focus of local partnerships, which aim to give all children a chance to be young musicians and are part of wider government reforms to music education. The aspiration of Hubs is to ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to sing and learn a musical instrument, to progress to the next level, and play with other children as part of an ensemble or choir.

Chris Brannick, Joint CEO of the Newham Music Trust, said: “This announcement is a tremendous endorsement of the rich background and strengths of the Newham Academy of Music. We have seen the young people of Newham continue to achieve great things in music and we will continue to drive aspiration and self-belief no matter what stage you’re at in your musical journey.”