World renowned musician calls council music instrument cuts 'cultural vandalism'
The world renowned musician Joshua Ellicot said proposed cuts to music tuition in Dumfries and Galloway would be ‘cultural vandalism’
Renowned British tenor Joshua Ellicott has said proposed cuts to music provision at a Scottish council would be “cultural vandalism”.
Dumfries and Galloway council is proposing to scrap free music tuition in a bid to save £35 million.
Mr Ellicott, who has children at local authority schools, said he read the proposals “with horror”.
In a letter to The Scotsman, the musician said he owes his career to “simple violin and trumpet lessons” in a storeroom of his primary school hall.
Mr Ellicot, who has been praised by the New York Times for his talents, performs in venues globally including New York, Paris, Copenhagen and Berlin.
Of his childhood lessons, he said: “Although the economic situation was poor at the time, the councillors understood the value of funded music for children, and I was a beneficiary.”
Currently, around 2000 pupils are enrolled in music lessons in Dumfries and Galloway with more than 750 on a waiting list.
Councils cannot charge for music tuition due to a Scottish Government pledge in 2021 that tuition would be free for pupils.
Councils receive ring fenced funding from the government for music lessons but must supplement the shortfall.
The council said withdrawing lessons would save £564,000 over three years.
It is understood the cut would put as many as 21 music instructor roles at risk.
Mr Ellicot said losing the classes now would be a “tragedy” after staff have worked to improve the music service.
“I know from experience that the D&G music service is made up of dedicated people who not only have a passion for the music they teach but also for the great benefits that accrue to the children they tutor,” he said.
“They have worked hard to bring the music service back to a healthy state after a long period of decline.
“It would be a tragedy if it were to be destroyed now.”
The musician added that, rather than cutting the music service, councillors should instead be expanding it.
He appealed to councillors to refuse to pass the proposals when they vote on the budget in February next year.
Mr Ellicot said: “The benefits of making music are now so well known and go far beyond the cultural aspect of music itself to the building up of school communities, the improvement in children’s academic achievement, the inclusion and encouragement of quieter and less confident children, and a guard against poor mental health as children find an outlet for their creativity and emotion.”
In an impassioned plea to local elected council members, he added: “The music service in fact pulls more than its own weight in the benefit it gives to the local area and to the costs that are subsequently unspent by the council.”
Dumfries and Galloway’s own budget papers acknowledge that cutting tuition would limit pupils’ options for studying National 5 and Higher music.
It also sets out the doubt placed on the future of school bands and orchestras.
The local authority's budget consultation document, external acknowledges that axing tuition would cast doubt over the future of school bands and choirs and limit instrument options for pupils studying SQA music courses.
Music, he added, brings “bounty” to everyone in society.
“If we cease to teach and train musicians, who will play for our ceilidhs, weddings, funerals, civic services, pop concerts, film soundtracks, Edinburgh Tattoo?,” he said.
“It would seem that if this cut is made, few young people from D&G will ever have the opportunity to express their culture in this way,” Mr Ellicot said.
A council spokesman said the proposals have been “developed by officers and do not represent final decisions”.
He added that all feedback received through a consultation, which is running until November 23, will be considered.
“Like councils across Scotland, we are facing rising costs and increasing demand for essential services, and must explore difficult options to deliver a balanced budget,” he said.
“We understand that people care deeply about services such as music tuition, and it's natural that proposals like this will prompt strong views.”
The council is encouraging locals to take part in the consultation.
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