Encouraging Talent and Potential

Our goal is to ensure that all children with musical talent and potential have opportunities to develop their talent regardless of background or chosen genre.

Much has been achieved across the music education sector over the last ten years in terms of providing children with “first access” opportunities.  Youth Music’s “first access” has encompassed both beginners with embryonic musical skills and those more advanced being introduced to different musical traditions or different ways of developing their musicianship.  With partners, we have been highlighting and addressing challenges of supporting musical progression effectively in a broad range of musical genres, with appropriate pedagogical approaches responding to differing learning styles.  The much welcome government investment in music education focusing on first access for primary school-aged children has brought significant successes – e.g. Wider Opportunities instrumental programmes delivered by Music Services, Sing Up, and In Harmony.

Across all of this work, it is clear that there are now very large numbers of children and young people (including some of the most disadvantaged in our society) inspired by “first access” opportunities, demonstrating the motivation, will and commitment to want to continue learning and progress musically.  This is a great position to have reached – and good foundations on which to build.  It is therefore vitally important that, across the sector, there is a concerted focus on music progression and development routes for these children and young people.  As with all our other areas for focus, Youth Music is committed to working collaboratively with others across the sector on this important issue.

We aim to:

• Develop mechanisms and resources to better support and inform progression routes
• Develop effective resources to improve support to young people to progress in their music-making
• Provide/support high-quality opportunities for young people to celebrate and showcase their music-making
• Harness the potential of young people to support the progression of their peers