From 31 Jan - 2 Feb 08, the Sage Gateshead hosted MusicLearningLive, a three-day festival of music education organised by Zone. Practitioners from across the sector get together to swap skills, share experience, debate the issues, pick up some new ideas and most of all, make music!
Delegates joined in sessions on everything from whole class teaching, singing and conducting, to beatboxing, DJing and starting a school ceilidh band. There were talks, debates, demonstrations and a series of youth-led workshops, plus a recital by award-winning cellist Natalie Clein.
The mood among the delegates was optimistic but realistic. While new directions in music education are emerging, there is an awareness that not all colleagues share the same mindset and that there is still a gap between some of our big ideals and the reality of implementing them on the ground.
Emerging issues included the importance of classroom teachers having the confidence to lead on new innovative teaching methods, and the possibility of learning side-by-side with students, especially in newer fields such as music technology. Some delegates were concerned about transition - what happens after primary and beyond - while others emphasised the importance of communication, networks and sharing ideas.
In the opening speech, thoughts came from the Sage's Katherine Zeserson, the Music Manifesto's Marc Jaffrey and education consultant Leonora Davies. They spoke of the opportunity now to reach a common goal, as musicians first and then educators, and of the challenges ahead, including developing an effective offer for secondary education. They reminded delegates of the need to be sensible but brave, creative and imaginative with funding and pointed out that while there is mounting support from government for their work it's essential to take action to make change happen now and not be complacent.
Elsewhere in the Sage, the Classroom of the Future offered a chance for teachers and students alike to get hands-on with a huge range of instruments and software, sharing know-how and picking up tips on using technology in the classroom. See for yourself. As well as some heated debates on the future of music education, there were performances from local students including participants in the Sage's after school CoMusica project in Fawdon, Newcastle. The debut airing of the boys' song was greeted with whoops and cheers from the audience, which they all agreed was "awesome".
Musician Kevin MacKenzie from Edinburgh was impressed by the event. "There are some great alternative practice examples for education, breaking away from traditional teaching methods," he told us. Nick Beach of Trinity Guildhall agreed. "Opportunities like MusicLearningLive are always important because they bring people together," he said. "It also paves the way for finding links to create a move in one direction so that people aren't going off on different tangents."
We'll be bringing you more coverage of the event, including Howard Goodall's keynote speech, useful teaching tips, new approaches in nurturing creativity and insights into music technology and informal learning. Keep checking back for all the latest. And if you were there, tell us what you thought by clicking 'Share your views' below.