Onwards and upwards: January 2024 Editorial

Well, that's it. Carols for Choirs back on the shelves for another year, costumes for the nativity returned to their rightful owners, and clips of Christmas or winter concerts lovingly edited then posted for longevity. For music teachers, the comedown from the festive period and the adrenaline involved can be difficult, however much you wanted ‘The Snowman’ or ‘Carol of the Bells’ to disappear (from TV as well as school). On top of this, there's a sense of the unknown with the new year ahead – and do we dare review last year's resolutions in case of a shortfall? Two things spring to mind: first, a director I once worked for who described targets as ‘aspirational’ (we got on well); and second, these are all relative and priorities change – ‘It's the journey that matters’, said a good teacher friend of mine. In addition, if the last few years are anything to go by, we can count on a healthy resilience seeing us through the toughest of challenges. So, bring it on.