On behalf of the Music Teachers’ Association, we wish to join our colleagues from across the music industry in expressing our significant disappointment at the proposal in the BBC’s new Classical Music Strategy to disband the BBC Singers, who have a century-long track record of promoting excellence in choral music through their performances and education work. The negative message which this sends to young people about the value and viability of careers in music risks causing significant reputational damage to the BBC.
Whilst the commitment to doubling music education funding, new training initiatives, and the potential of a ‘major choral development programme’ is encouraging, closing the BBC Singers, and thereby losing such a wealth of established choral experience and expertise feels misguided at best. As the UK’s only full-time professional chamber choir, the BBC Singers have been uniquely placed to provide opportunities for music education projects and could be a valuable asset in the BBC’s aim to provide ‘more opportunities for people to engage with classical music, building audiences and creating extraordinary experiences.’ We very much hope that, through listening to the response to this announcement, the BBC will rethink this decision, keeping the BBC Singers as the ideal vehicle to meet these laudable aims.
Many MTA members have commented on their experiences of introducing their pupils to the wonder of choral singing through concerts featuring the BBC Singers, or through working with them in community engagement programmes and workshops; it is a real shame that the BBC is choosing to deny future generations of young people such inspiring experiences. In 2017, one hundred young singers from Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy, a state school in Lancaster, benefited hugely from training from members of the BBC Singers, preparing them to sing with other young people in a televised Prom, accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (which is also facing cuts as a result of this new strategy). This was a life-changing experience for these children, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in music and music education themselves.
Our friends at the ISM have produced an excellent call to action webpage, with advice on how you can support the campaign to reverse this shortsighted decision. There is also a petition on change.org which is gaining significant momentum, with around 135,000 signatures at the time of writing. We encourage all our members and associates to sign this petition to make the strength of feeling on this matter very clear to the BBC.
Don Gillthorpe, MTA President, Ripley St Thomas CE Academy, Lancaster
Catherine Barker, MTA President-Elect, United Learning
Simon Toyne, MTA Past-President, David Ross Education Trust
