South Ayrshire Council News

Introducing young people to the joy of music is very important, so South Ayrshire Council is using funding from the Scottish Arts Council of £179,588 to assist it to do this.

The Government would like to see all school children receive a year of music instruction by the time they reach Primary 6. The Council can, only use the funding from the Scottish Arts Council, for the period June 2007 to June 2008, for the specific purpose of making music more accessible to young people.

During the last four years the Youth Music Initiative has been successfully delivered as follows:

• Percussion in Girvan and Carrick Clusters.
• Guitar in Carrick Cluster.
• Singalong in the Prestwick, Belmont, Queen Margaret, Marr and Ayr Academy Clusters.
• Additional instrumental instruction, brass and lower strings, Belmont, Kyle and Queen Margaret Academy Clusters.
• Music Therapy delivered in partnership with Drake Music.

In other primary schools not involved in the aforementioned projects young people are involved in music by the existing Instrumental Staff and Primary Music Specialists which are funded by the Council.

Councillor Hywel Davies, the Council’s Portfolio Carrier for Learning and Prosperity said: “Learning to appreciate music and to take part in creating music is very important for young people. It channels their creative skills and can help to identify those who have a particular talent for music. Very importantly all children are included whatever their abilities and this will help to enhance the way in which pupils work as a team.”