Back for more: April 2023 Editorial

At the time of writing, it’s one week since the Music & Drama Education Expo 2023, where many of us enjoyed coming together as a sector. I certainly learnt a lot in meeting contributors and readers, and appreciated the sheer number of initiatives and collaborations up and down the UK. It was cockle-warming (as a teacher of mine used to say) at a time of great change, especially when we celebrated the success of others. It was a pleasure to meet many of you at the Music & Drama Education Awards in February, which was a fantastic evening of celebration. The worthy winners are all listed in the news pages.

This month’s issue has ‘assessment and qualifications’ as its theme, and I’m delighted to say we have the outgoing interim chief-examiner of LCME answering questions about exam disruption and important changes at the exam board.

Beyond LCME, but still with assessment and qualifications, we report on the future of digital instrumental exams generally, on the impressive rise of vocational courses in secondary schools, and on efforts by academic exam boards to decolonise, as a follow-up to Roger Wilson’s series last year on instrumental music exams. To complete the circle, UK Music’s Oliver Morris gives practical industry/careers advice to up and coming musicians – students or teachers – and plenty of helpful links. Dale Wills, meanwhile, introduces us to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic plagiarism and, wait for it, song-writing and music production – now there’s an assessment challenge.

For those wanting something more tactile, we report on inspiring Kodály-related music courses with the Phoenix Collective, on an instrumental hire company that’s inclusive as it is innovative, and we have a book review on the founder of the Suzuki method no less. Elsewhere, there’s the usual expert advice, reviews (including a trip to the theatre), and an ISM campaign, #SaveOurSubjects, that really needs our support.

In other developments, a letter to the editor reflects the sadness and surprise of many at news that several Musicroom stores are closing. The role of bricks & mortar music retail is something we’ll be investigating in an forthcomig issue. In better news, Midlothian council has thrown out proposals to cut its instrumental service, thanks in no small part to pressure from the MU.

In the meantime, kick back and enjoy the Easter break.

- Phil Croydon, editor