Music Cares – An End of Year Update - Services For Education

Working in partnership with Birmingham Virtual School (the umbrella body that oversees the education of children in care in Birmingham), our Music Cares project offers free instrument loans, music lessons and ensemble & performance opportunities for over 100 children in care across Birmingham.

Through Music Cares, participating pupils receive up to 33 one-to-one music lessons on an instrument of their choice. As well as being used in their lessons, participants also got to take their instruments home to continue their practice, with the support of an SFE practice diary, providing a written record of their progress.

This year, a total of 54 new students joined the programme, in addition to 55 students who had participated in previous years who continued with their lessons.

Alongside instrument loan and lessons, all students are encouraged to try out and join our free area/school-based and central ensembles, which offer them opportunities to develop their performance skills and make new friendships. This year, one of the secondary school pupils successfully auditioned to join an intermediate level Central Ensemble, performing on stage with them at Birmingham Symphony Hall.

Over 25 primary aged pupils took part in our annual Winner-up event at the Midlands Arts Centre in July, giving an authentic concert experience in a professional performance venue. The event was attended by all members of the Virtual School team and with pupils’ carers also taking part. This year’s workshops featured the Welsh National Opera and a music technology workshop in partnership with Mac Makes Music, bringing different dimensions to participants’ musical awareness.

As well as taking part in performance opportunities, some of this year’s pupils have also taken an ABRSM3 music medal or graded music examination.

Outside of SFE performances, this year we have been proud to see some pupils engage in musical opportunities within their school, volunteering to take part in school concerts and other performances, supported by their (proud) music teachers.

Feedback from teachers, carers and participating pupils continues to be very positive.

Music Cares costs SFE over £60,000 a year to deliver, and is only possible thanks to our fundraising efforts. If you would like to know more, and would like to help us reach Birmingham’s children in care please click here:

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