MUSICAL EQUALITY
As teachers, it is vital that we engage students of all ages and abilities with a diverse range of music, created by a diverse body of people. The repertoire heard in concert halls, opera houses, online and on CD players, or played by students as they start their musical journeys, has concentrated for too long on music created by a small group of white men.
Our worlds and experiences are so much wider. There are so many other stories to hear, particularly those told by women. The emerging classical singer, for example, can learn songs by a vast range of composers. These might include Italian Baroque composer and vocalist Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677), who created dazzling and entrancing cantatas or African-American composer and pianist Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) who wrote for the Glenn Miller Orchestra as well as setting the words of Langston Hughes (and others) as imaginative and compelling art songs.
Trail blazer: Fuller © JUNO SNOWDON PHOTOGRAPHY
At Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance we have embarked on an exciting year of discovery, entitled Venus Blazing, after a work for violin and orchestra by Deirdre Gribbin, one of our composition teachers. This year we will ensure that at least half of the music (measured either by number of pieces or duration – no tokenistic short pieces!) heard at our major events will have been created by women. We want to leave our students and audiences with a lasting understanding of the wealth of music created by women across the world and throughout the ages.
Dr Sophie Fuller, PGDip, MMus, MA and MFA programme leader at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Author, The Pandora Guide to Women Composers: Britain and the United States, 1629-present
How do you encourage musical diversity in your teaching? Let us know via the details above: we'd love to hear from you.
UPDATE FROM NCO
An open recruitment process was undertaken over the summer months to identify new trustees to support National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain (NCO)'s new leadership and a period of positive change for the organisation. Investing time in this process led to the appointment of five new board members, each bringing wide ranging and unique perspectives to the organisation. They include three representatives from the music education sector: Brian Weir (head of student experience at RWCMD), Miranda Francis (head of junior programmes at RCM) and Fiona Harvey (education consultant). Two further appointments are made from the orchestral sector: Jonathan Mayes (director of residencies and regionals at the Philharmonia) and William Norris (managing director at Southbank Sinfonia).
Sophie Lewis, managing director, National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain
