Singing must be one of the most fundamental and familiar aspects of primary education. Thirty years after leaving primary school I still remember some of the songs we used to sing: a song about visiting a farm, a song about a new sombrero, and a song about the stories of Jesus. By Ian Shirley
Then there were the songs we sang on the playground: Georgie Best, Superstar!, Last night, the night before, and ‘O soldier, soldier, won’t you marry me’, to name a few of the more polite ones. Then there were the songs we sang for festivals, school plays, and annual events, such as leavers’ assembly. These modest songs help to focus the memories of my early education; the very act of singing, just a happy ‘fact of life’ in an, otherwise stilted and worksheet-driven curriculum.
Earlier this year the, then, secretary of State for Education, Alan Johnson, announced a £10m initiative to address the decline of singing in primary schools. The National Singing Project, championed by composer and celebrated musician, Howard Goodall, aims to revitalise singing in the primary school so hat “all primary-aged children experience and enjoy singing at the heart of their school lives and communities” www.singup.org The project will be managed by a consortium led by Youth Music.
The fundamental decisions about primary music education must rest with education specialists who have dedicated their lives to the education and music-making of young children
The launch of the national singing project throws the business of education into sharp relief. Suddenly everyone is an expert and everyone, from conductors, composers, instrumentalists, singers, parents, politicians, academics and teachers, all have a view on how singing should be taught in our primary schools. Just as I returned to my own early experiences at the start of this article, so others turn to their early educational experiences for the model of, and the justification for, singing in schools today. In many ways this is wonderful; so many people with so much passion! It is just not enough. The fundamental decisions about primary music education must rest with education specialists who have dedicated their lives to the education and music-making of young children. Specialists who have the knowledge, experience, and dedication to develop a strategy that is visionary, sustainable and realistic. The politicians, musicians and executive officers who champion this cause are to be respected for the impetus, guidance and critical support they provide. This could be a wonderful partnership!