A warm welcome to the October issue of Music Teacher and new face on the editorial page – or rather an old face. Having finished my first stint as editor back in 2013, I'm pleased to return for the next few issues following the departure of editor Cameron Bray. I'd like to pay tribute to Cameron's sterling efforts, especially in raising the profile of MT as a vehicle for scrutinising music education policy. My aim is to keep things going in a similar vein, starting with our strings focus this month, covering much of what's current in the world of string teaching.
Since 2013 I have followed the development of MT with interest, recently as a member of its editorial board and always as an enthusiastic attendee of the Music and Drama Education Expo, MT's fl agship event. I remember the excitement of being part of the team that launched the first ever Expo, not to mention the nervousness of wondering how it would turn out. Six years on, it's satisfying to have watched it grow to include a Manchester event as well as the original version in London, itself much expanded. If you're reading this before 10 October, the date of this year's Manchester Expo, there's still time to check out the conference programme and register for your free place online (www.musicanddramaeducationexpo.co.uk/manchester).
As I write, Brexit is almost entirely clogging up our parliamentary system, causing near stasis across political life, including cultural education. In 2020, the government's
National Plan for Music Education is due to expire. What will replace it? And will music education hubs, the plan's key initiative, continue to receive funding? At present, little is clear.
Such uncertainty may make it a tough time to be a music teacher, but MT will continue to champion your cause as best we can. Meanwhile, whatever goes on at Westminster, music educators in the UK continue to deliver outstanding teaching across a spectacular diversity of projects and settings – exactly what we'll be celebrating at the Manchester Expo.
