02/10/2023
You might remember our post last year about the wonderful benefits of school orchestras.
I'm devastated that the children's school orchestra has been axed. I've been emailing and having conversations all week and nothing has worked.
Individual instrumental lessons are brilliant but they're hard work for children who often won't perceive the rewards for years. Playing in an ensemble, especially if you get to go and play in exciting concert halls, gives them context and helps them understand why they're doing all that hard work.
There are children who were excitedly hoping to join this year.
There are children in the orchestra who clearly wouldn't be playing without it. They've talked about finding a love of music that they wouldn't have got anywhere else, about finding peace, calm and self regulation through playing their instrument.
I am so bloody disappointed for them all.
We work unbelievably hard at B'Opera to bring music into the lives of children under the age of 5 in Birmingham, and we need those opportunities to continue as they get older so that music doesn't become the sole preserve of the rich and privileged.
