Children encouraged to learn 'endangered species' of musical instruments

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Among them the bassoon, oboe and double-bass

Children aged 10 to 14 in Hammersmith & Fulham
are being encouraged to learn 'endangered species' of musical instruments with the support of the council's music service, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Academy of Music.

Twelve children from local primary and secondary
schools will get the chance to learn bassoon, oboe and double-bass over the year at free weekly after-school tuition sessions run by the council's music service with funding from the national charity Youth Music.

Endangered Species is a national project supported by Youth Music which aims to tackle the problem of falling numbers of young people taking up and continuing to play bassoon, oboe,
double-bass, French horn, trombone and tuba.

Extra support and inspiration for the young Hammersmith & Fulham players will be provided by musicians from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, who have formed an Endangered Species band which will visit the after-school sessions twice a term to encourage the children and run workshops. The children will also be invited to BBCSO concerts to see their mentors performing with the full orchestra.

Post-graduate students from the Royal Academy of Music have written music for complete beginners to play on bassoon, oboe and double-bass so that the children have a new and exciting repertoire. The RAM students have also written pieces for the BBC's Endangered
Species band to perform.

The council's music service has identified children who are already showing promise with other instruments but are novices to the Endangered Species instruments. Each child will have the
opportunity to learn all three of the new instruments over the year. The after-school sessions run by three new music service tutors will take place at St John's Walham Green Primary School on Fridays.

The council's music service runs two youth choirs, a youth ensemble and a youth
orchestra as well as four after-school music centres, a Saturday Music Centre and school rock, steel and samba bands. A pioneering partnership with the BBC Symphony Orchestra has given young musicians the chance to perform at prestigious venues such as the Barbican.

Lincoln Abbotts, learning manager for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, said: "We hope our musicians will inspire the young people to learn these instruments and persevere with their tuition. We want to play our part in getting these instruments off the Endangered
Species list."

Cllr Melanie Smallman, Hammersmith & Fulham Council's cabinet member for education, said: "The quality of music provision in the borough is something we are very proud of. Children are
given a wealth of opportunities to sing, learn instruments and perform in imaginative and exciting projects, thanks to our excellent music service and the creativity and energy of local schools. We are grateful for the support of the BBC, Youth Music, Royal Academy of Music and
other partners who are helping us to give children and young people from all backgrounds a chance to participate in music making and performance."

 

October 9, 2005