A new Music Education Fund, which is worth £100,000, will offer “seed money” for joint projects managed by local authorities and orchestras in the capital to ensure more young people have the chance to take up musical lessons irrespective of their background or family income.
Speaking this morning the Mayor said: ‘The ability to play an instrument is one of the most wonderful things in life, whether for pleasure or because you have professional ambitions. In a country that has given so much great talent to the world, we want to ensure a future Lloyd-Webber, the next Elton John, or nascent Lily Allen do not miss their chance to add to the illustrious musical canon that we have produced.”
City Hall says Johnson is concerned that many musical initiatives are short-term and that music is too often squeezed off the curriculum.
As part of his efforts to encourage musical ability the Mayor has already launched an ‘amnesty’ for unwanted musical instrument and last year presented instruments to schools and young people in Lambeth through the ‘In Harmony’ music education scheme chaired by Julian Lloyd Webber.
AUDIO: Mayor of London Boris Johnson launches his music education fund
