Gloucester Academy of Music (GAM) and Cheltenham Music Festivals have joined forces to form a new not-for-profit music agency offering one to one and small group music tuition in primary schools throughout the county.   Last July the changes in government funding meant Gloucestershire Music Service had to stop providing individual lessons. Music teachers were made redundant, and schools were left without instrumental music provision.

Out of all this doom and gloom there is an exciting opportunity to improve standards and gain a positive outcome from the situation.   Glyn Oxley, GAM’s Chief Executive & Music Director, stated, "We feel very passionately here at GAM that we wish to keep music alive for the children of Gloucestershire and hope to give them all the chance to experience the joy it can bring. There needs to be a vision for music education that prioritises excellence and opportunity.   With the support of participating schools we also intend to launch a bursary fund to help those in financial need".

Glyn Oxley - Director
Gloucester Academy of Music

"I'm really delighted with the way victory is being snatched from the jaws of defeat," says Meurig Bowen, Director of the Cheltenham Music Festival.   "Glyn and his team have shown admirable determination, and incredible speed, in making sure something positive comes from the recent redundancies in the county's music-teaching provision. I really look forward to developing performance and listening opportunities for the agency's teachers, pupils and affiliated schools at next year's Cheltenham Music Festival."

The new Schools Music Agency is offering an opportunity for all those staff who were made redundant with the idea of matching up their skills with all the schools which are looking for one to one and small group instrumental teachers. The agency teachers will go through a rigorous interview process to ensure that high teaching standards are met.

Schools which sign up to the agency will therefore have easy access to a wide range of musical disciplines and can be assured that they will be of a professional standard.   This will also save overstretched school staff precious time and cost as the agency will arrange the lessons on their pupils’ behalf with the relevant teacher, and sort out the payments from parents directly.

If any schools or interested teachers would like to know more please contact the Schools Music agency via schoolmusic@gamusic.co.uk.