UK Music launches 'Sound Rights'

Free online music learning resource for teachers and students

Sound Rights is a free online learning resource produced by UK Music, written by professionals in the music industry and music education expert Leonora Davies to answer the national curriculum's new requirement regarding the music industry and copyright.

Students and teachers can take advantage of a brand new resource that makes understanding copyright easy, and helps you learn more about the music business.

The free-to-access Sound Rights website has been developed by industry organisation UK Music and the Music Manifesto's MMPAG member, Leonora Davies OBE.

Since September it's been a KS3 requirement to 'include the role of music and musicians in society, the music industry and artistic and intellectual property rights'. Sound Rights uses a range of podcasts, videos, sound clips and case studies to bring these concepts to life.

Launching Sound Rights at the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust conference in Manchester, UK Music CEO, Feargal Sharkey, described it as the perfect introduction to how music 'works'.

"Even if they cannot play an instrument, music is still central to the lives of most young people. Sound Rights opens up that world, allowing teachers and students to explore the true power of music in the widest possible context, as well as highlighting potential career opportunities. Quite frankly, I wish something similar had existed when I was at school."

Sound Rights was piloted in three counties. Anna Gower, Head of Music at Monk's Walk School in Hertfordshire, is one teacher who has tried it out. "Sound Rights is a simple and informative resource for teaching a new requirement within the KS3 music curriculum. The activities are innovative and engaging, supporting cross-curriculum and independent learning."

There's approval from Education Secretary Ed Balls who believes Sound Rights has huge potential across the curriculum, and from Culture Secretary Andy Burnham too:

"It's helpful for young people to learn that there's a whole industry behind the music that we hear, and that it's crucially important to protect the intellectual property of creators if that industry is to continue to produce the music we all love. It's particularly important to teach this at a time when consumer choices and behaviour can have such a big impact on these industries' futures."

W: www.soundrights.org.uk
     www.ukmusic.org