As the Music Manifesto Pathfinder programme comes to a close, North West Pathfinder Coordinator Naomi Elliot-Newman talks about how a unique alliance between four local music providers gave rise to some memorable musical moments.
In April 2006 four organisations involved in music education across the cities of Manchester and Salford came together to form a new strategic alliance. The partners were Manchester Music Service, Salford Music and Performing Arts Service, GMMAZ (the Greater Manchester Music Action Zone) and the Hallé. This idea of working together had come from conversations between the two local authorities and the Hallé, and all were keen to explore whether, by working together rather than in isolation, better results could be achieved for children and young people.
In the initial aims of the Pathfinder we specifically targeted the objectives laid out in the Music Manifesto, with a particular emphasis on improving the support structures for young peoples' music making, by:
- Providing a new model for music service provision - bringing existing Local Authority services into an alliance with professional practitioners
- Improving co-ordination of a number of existing streams of DCMS and DfES (now DCFS) funding
- Developing strong links between the formal and non formal sectors across a number of musical genres
- Building significantly on existing work in training and leadership in specialist and non specialist teachers
- Developing a choral programme and building a pyramid of high quality choirs of all types
We commenced our work together with a thorough and detailed mapping exercise of the four partner organisations. From this came what we called an 'Issues Paper' - a list of areas where, if money were no object, we could look to develop together - and this in turn focussed the decisions around our chosen programme 'strands' of work for the two-year pilot.
I sometimes wonder if our programme strands alone look like separate project-based initiatives, and in some ways they are. However, collectively they represent new ways of working, and a uniting of practitioners of different musical genres, backgrounds and specialisms.
For me personally the highlights have been:
-
Watching young singers enjoy singing and making a wonderful sound together - both in a classroom setting and in new after-school choirs - we have shared good singing practice across two authority areas, and are proud of how singing is now energised in many schools
-
Observing the looks on children's faces when they listen to a full symphony orchestra in their school hall - the sound is so intense in that space, and it's possible to really listen to the colours in the music. Feedback from young people in these concerts has included comments such as 'I want to be in an orchestra one day'
-
Attending a concert in which string players of all ages and experience perform - from those who have been learning just a short time to those who are preparing for higher grades, teachers and professional players - there is something absolutely special about listening to a group in a memorable experience such as this
-
Watching a Year 7 music class perform their own composition - a piece in which every member of the class has a role, be that playing guitar, violin, keyboard or rapping - teams from across the partnership have worked closely with secondary school Head of Music to create a new response to the Key Stage 3 music curriculum in two schools
-
Observing teachers and players come together, appreciate each other's expertise and learn from each other
-
The challenge and friendship which has come from our independent evaluator, Margaret Griffiths - Margaret has questioned us and challenged us, and helped to shape our work for the better
Looking forward, Manchester, Salford and the Hallé hope to be able to continue working in a strategic way together with Bolton and Stockport. GMMAZ is choosing to continue its work as an independent organisation. We have learned a great deal about each other's work and the impact we all have in different ways on the lives of children and young people. We have also learned that partnership work depends on trust, mutual respect and ongoing learning at both strategic and practitioner levels. Funding is obviously a way to be able to make things happen, and to bring everyone to the same meeting table - but ultimately success depends on the honesty, passion and drive of those involved to work for the benefit of children and young people.