A joyful celebration: June 2023 Editorial

The Coronation probably seems a long time ago now, but I hope you and your students were able to enjoy this rare event and celebrated the ‘new chapter’ in whatever way seemed best. Music, of course, forms a huge part of our national events – as has been pointed out on more than one occasion – and if the choice of music wasn’t always to your liking (is it ever always?), you couldn’t help but appreciate the drive for wider participation, diversity, and to represent the UK and Commonwealth of the present day. ‘Bravo!’ to the Ascension Choir and Lucy Illingworth, and to the Pink Singers, Oasis One World Choir, deaf signing choirs and the other dozen ensembles that made up the Coronation Chorus. You don’t have to be a royalist to recognise the benefits of bringing the country together once in a while, particularly when good news is in short supply, and if the singing didn’t bring a smile, there was always cake.

Fittingly, this month’s issue has a vocal and choral focus – on at national, community, school and individual level. In this issue we have the sensation that is the National Youth Choir of Scotland, with its comprehensive offer of Kodály training, CPD, supporting publications and first-rate performing experience for school-age or adolescent singers. It feels as if Scotland has been leading the way in music education in recent years, through its national youth ensembles, the adoption of Kodály- or El Sistema-inspired programmes, and the Scottish government’s pledge to fund instrumental lessons. There’s growing standardisation and a belief in the ‘common good’, without needing to defend the value of music.

Regarding community youth choirs, Karen Marshall celebrates Scunthorpe’s ‘best-kept secret’, and shares repertoire lists for choir leaders of similar age-groups. Other ‘vocal’ features bring news of the Schools Singing Programme, combining church and state expertise, and what busy teachers can do to care for their own voice, whether singing or not.

For orchestral matters, we visit The Purcell School and look at how large ensembles can be more accessible thanks to a report from the National Open Youth Orchestra.

For the more music-tech minded, there’s a highly practical and informative introduction to in-ear monitors, which we should probably all learn about, and another on how composition, progress and confidence are developed when competing against the clock. On a more general note, I’d also draw your attention to the ISM’s survey results – to what data is telling us about pay and employment contracts – and to news that the NEU is supporting the campaign for protecting arts and drama in schools.

Finally, looking ahead, I’m pleased to say that our office is already planning for the 2024 Music & Drama Education Expo. The call for papers is open and we are recruiting experts to form an advisory board, ahead of planning the programme during the summer and announcing it in September.

We’re also preparing for the Music & Drama Education Awards in 2024! If you know of a product, colleague or resource that you think deserves recognition from the sector at these national awards, please visit the website to nominate by 12 September.

Phil Croydon, editor