Schoolchildren from London have personally picked up their new music scholarship at a ceremony last week.

The first round of the Mayor’s Fund for Young Musicians (MFYM) has allocated 100 children aged between seven and 11 with scholarships worth a total £400,000.

Recipients are from families who struggle to pay for music lessons and the scholarships involve four hours of weekly tuition for up to four years.

In addition to this, they will be given a personal music mentor and the chance to perform in solo concerts and ensembles and attend Saturday morning music centres. They will also have access to instruments if they cannot afford to buy them. The pupils had to show their potential for playing their chosen instrument and commitment to learning it.

“These are the most talented students who would have to stop learning without our support,” explained Ginny Greenwood, the chief executive of MFYM. She added that by 2016, up to 1,000 young people will be supported through the fund.

London mayor Boris Johnson, who is a founder patron of the MFTM, said that learning a musical instrument “can have a powerful impact on a child’s life, helping in their social, emotional and academic development”.

“Sadly, too many families in London cannot afford to pay for music lessons, even for very talented children,” he added.

“By investing in these scholarships and partnerships programmes, the fund will be enriching the lives of thousands of children and also make sure London remains the top city in the world for all kinds of music. I wish these talented young people every success.”

However, the fund must raise up to £1 million through a series of events this year in order to continue the scholarships.

Young musicians aged under 18 can also apply for one of six Music Partnerships under a £100,000 project by the MFYM. It will provide opportunities for students to learn and perform with professional musicians in the capital, including those at London’s biggest orchestras.

The ukulele now rivals the recorder as the school classroom’s musical instrument of choice. With its small size, perfect for little hands, kids can strum along to their favourite songs, tunes and melodies, taking their first steps along the path to understanding and playing music.

As exciting as it is to hear that your child wants to learn to play an instrument, finding the right ukulele, just as with buying any other first instrument for your child, can be an intimidating and confusing experience for parents.

It needn’t be. Below are the key problems and questions raised by parents when confronted with buying a ukulele, and the jargon-busting answers and suggestions to aid them in making the right choice for their child.

“A ukulele? What exactly should I be looking for?”

As with many other families of instruments, ukuleles come in a variety of sizes. If you find yourself presented with a variety of types and terms, worry not. The soprano ukulele is what you’re looking for.

The soprano is the smallest of the ukuleles and is the instrument people generally refer to when they talk about ‘ukuleles’. At the lower end of the market, it is usually safe to assume the instruments you’re browsing are sopranos unless otherwise stated.

The ukulele comes in a variety of body shapes, the most common being the standard ‘figure-eight’ design and the rounded traditional ‘pineapple’ body type. More exotic ukulele designs can increasingly be found to imitate classic guitar shapes such as the ‘flying V’. These can be fun for aspiring little rockstars and guitarists who care about how their uke looks.

For beginners, the body shape of the ukulele is largely down to the tastes, preference and comfort of you and your child. Many companies also produce themed ukes featuring famous cartoon characters in a variety of colours, styles and body shapes.

“How much should I pay?”

Thanks to its resurgent popularity and low-cost imports, good quality budget ukuleles are now widely available. In fact, one of the positives of taking up the ukulele is that you needn’t break the bank for a good model.

Between £20 and £30 is a good ballpark figure for a basic beginner uke, with brands such as Pure Tone, Mahalo, Ashton and Lazy offering excellent starter instruments at affordable prices.

Beginner packages are also available, matching quality starter ukuleles with useful accessories such as a carry bag and pitchpipe tuner. These can usually be found priced between £25 and £35.

For more confident young musicians who have perhaps already grasped the basics of music through playing other instruments, it may be worth considering expanding your search above the £30 mark. A good starter uke will see beginners through their first couple of years but higher quality instruments can prove to be a good investment for youngsters who tend to progress quickly.

“How can I check the quality of the instrument?”

Try to find a ukulele with good tuning pegs (the four little screws that stick out of the ukulele at the top of the neck). ‘Geared tuners’ are preferable in cheaper models as they tend to stay more intune for longer compared to rear-mounted friction tuning pegs. Geared tuners can be identified due to their side-mounting on the ukulele’s head, two-a-side.

Where possible, try before you buy in a dedicated music shop. You needn’t be able to play a piece or know a song, just strum the ukulele and listen to how it sounds. Compare it to other ukes of different shapes, brands and price, especially if you’re fortunate to live locally to a specialist ukulele stockist.

If when you strum the uke you hear buzzing, find it difficult to make a consistent sound or it can’t be kept to stay in tune, either ask the shopkeeper to adjust the instrument or move on and try another. Also make sure to check the ‘action’, the distance between the string and the fret board, which may need to be adjusted. A bad action can make a ukulele difficult to play, but should be easily adjustable by a music shop staff member.

Don’t forget to check for any scrapes, dents, repair marks or wear and tear. Damage or weaknesses can affect the tone and build strength of any instrument.

Last but not least, never be afraid to ask questions or seek advice. A good shop will always be prepared to offer good, honest information and guidance on your purchase.

“Can a ukulele be too cheap? Do brand names matter?”

In recent years, with the ukulele enjoying an upsurge in popularity, cheap versions have begun to appear as toys and novelty presents, advertised for far less than you’d see in a music store.

Whilst their availability and prices can be enticing, these ukes rarely make for good musical instruments and could hinder your child’s enjoyment and progress. After all, it can be a frustrating experience learning to play on an instrument that won’t stay in tune or produce the notes you expect.

As always, respected music brands trade on reputations they’ve earned through years of good products, service and quality. That isn’t to say that less well known manufacturers should be avoided however! Always do your research and try to read reviews from other customers and experts to inform your browsing.

“Is it worth buying a professional or vintage instrument for my child to grow into?”

A child’s impulsive desire to take up new hobbies and experiment with novel pursuits can fade as quickly as their initial interest flared. Buying an expensive, high-end instrument to learn on is a common and costly mistake made by eager parents, and not just due to the risk of that early enthusiasm disappearing.

Kids are kids, and like any object placed in their possession, their new uke will likely suffer all sorts of training knocks and mishaps through their trial-and-error discoveries. You don’t want to ward your child off such knock-a-bout fun and progress when getting familiar with an instrument. Watching them get to grips with their playing shouldn’t feel as though you’ve caught them building a den out of priceless antique furniture and glassware.

Similarly, a long abandoned, top-of-the-range ukulele can be a deterrent against trying other potentially more successful activities in the future should their initial excitement for the uke wane.

“What accessories do I need to buy?”

The quickest and easiest way to improve the sound and playability of a new ukulele is to fit a new, good quality set of strings. Many new ukuleles, entry-level or otherwise, come with very basic strings that can hamper the instrument’s performance. A tuner is also a must buy accessory to help new starters stay in tune.

A bag, soft case or hard case is also a useful early purchase. Not only will the instrument be easier to transport and harder to damage, bags and cases often make storage easier in the home, on a shelf, under a bed or other nicely tidy and out of the way places. Stands can also be a wise investment for parents keen to keep things neat but with easy access to the instrument for their child.

As mentioned above, starter packs containing a selection of accessories in one discounted package are also available for parents looking for a one stop purchase that sets their child up for a successful start with their new ukulele.

Check out the musicroom site for a range of ukulele starter tutors, books and guides to help you and your child get the most of this great little instrument!

Learning a musical instrument can be a fun and fufilling hobby for children. For parents, however, the world of music can appear difficult to navigate, with fact finding missions often producing more questions than answers!

Here’s a list of popular questions that most parents or families regularly ask about their child wanting to learn to play a real musical instrument with answers provided by Music For Kids’ John  Bassett.

Parents who have a limited knowledge or understanding of music may feel somewhat helpless when seeing their child show serious interest in such an exciting and rewarding subject. I hope this practical advice gives both peace of mind and enjoyment for those helping the young, would-be musician through the early stages of understanding music.

Music has many more qualities than just notes.

How can I help the child start to play music?

Enjoy finding out together and encourage the child to explore musical instruments through books, music and the internet. If the child is curious and interested in any form of music; such as singing, pop groups, school orchestra or band, the piano in the classroom or simply talking about music with friends in the playground, now’s the chance to help develop the interest.

What instrument should I choose?

Musical instruments come in all shapes, sizes and sounds. In the early days of a child’s interest, you may find it easier to select the instrument together with the child. This is a very experimental stage for all. The important point is to budget for purchasing the tutor and accessories at the same time as the instrument. Buying an instrument on its own may be exciting, but without professional guidance from a book/CD/DVD and suitable accessories, the young would-be musician might be disillusioned and uninterested after five minutes of simply trying to only play sounds.

Which tutorial should I purchase?

Music For Kids™ has carefully selected instruction books and tutorials that are simple and clear to understand from the start. The books and DVDs are also chosen to be ‘parent-friendly’, especially for those supportive parents who are perhaps, non-musical but want to help with progress when at all possible. Tutorials don’t have to be in book form. A child may be happier watching a DVD or listening to an accompanying CD.

At what age should the child start playing?

There is no set rule for this. A child may begin (in their own way) at one or two years of age or pick up a clarinet or guitar when they are in their teens…or even later. The unwritten rule is ‘the time to start playing music is whenever the child is ready’. Certain ages and body development dictate certain instruments. Some instruments are simply too large or too heavy to hold. Music For Kids™  has selected instruments with this in mind. It is always advisable to read the details about the instrument before deciding the purchase.

What should I bear in mind when I buy an instrument?

Although the child’s interest in a certain type of instrument is very important, it is possibly not the controlling factor in the early days. The player first needs to build confidence with playing and understanding music. Sometimes, instruments that are more difficult to play at the outset, and this can become a barrier for what should be an enjoyable experience with learning music. If a child wants to play drums, perhaps start them off with simple percussion such as a tambourine, or a percussion kit and watch and hear them play along to the rhythm of a song. If a child likes the saxophone, perhaps start by playing the recorder and reading music, the transfer to another fingered woodwind instrument becomes much easier. Understanding the strings and frets on a ukulele might be the start to competently playing a stringed instrument such as a violin or cello in an orchestra.

John Bassett

John has professionally worked with children & music for over thirty five years. He is a competent musician and has written many children’s songs and directed & produced children’s music-based programmes for television. John began playing at the age of seven and has performed around the World including at London’s famous Royal Albert Hall. He is a parent of two girls and has been a licensed foster parent for many years.

Do you have any questions for John regarding Music For Kids or children learning to play music for the first time? Please leave your questions in the comment box provided below.

As reported on the BBC News website, interactive technologies and games are becoming increasingly important outlets for autistic children and their families. Tailored to the needs of their focussed perception and tendencies for structure and repitition, apps such as FindMe give children with autism a pathway into activities and experiences they may otherwise struggle to cope with.

Similarly, music can offer children diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum a soothing and engagable medium away from the anxiety and stress of standard conversations and socialising.

As defined by Autism.org.uk, “autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways.”

For autistic children who struggle with social interaction, emotional awareness and speech, learning an instrument can be an incredibly liberating opportunity for self expression and non-verbal communication.

Music can create connections between the non-verbal parts of our brains. Combined with eye contact made whilst learning songs and exercises with a tutor or parent, some autistic children can begin to break down some of the intimidating social barriers ahead of them.

The reassuring structure and repetition that comes with practising and learning to play builds confidence and physical coordination.

Of course, every child’s position and severity on the autistic spectrum is different, as are their special and unique personalities. In more severe cases, just the sheer ability to make a sound or expressive outburst can be extremely powerful and fufilling for the child suddenly empowered by an instrument.

It is important to note however, that music isn’t right for every child with autism, just as it isn’t for everyone in general.

Due to a number of famous and well publicised cases, autistic children are at times expected to be savants, or tragically gifted musical geniuses cursed with some incredible, double-edged special talent. Whilst some people with autism do indeed show a remarkable aptitude for music and playing  instruments (often due to a hypersensitivity to external stimuli common with autism), it can be unhelpful to place such pressure and expectation on autistic children and their families.

Instead, music can be used purely for enjoyment, support and as a development aid. Socially for instance, and depending on confidence and ability, learning an instrument can potentially lead to playing with others in interactive jams, school bands and beyond!

Additionally, the psychological sense of accomplishment and reward from learning an instrument, especially for an autistic child, can set them up for other challenges and steps that may lie ahead in life.

Perhaps the key to harnessing all these benefits of music and musical instruments for autistic children is in their initial discovery and introduction to making music.

Although autism creates an urgent need for structure, routine and repetition, due to a ruthlessly focussed, narrow logic, little patience is spared for rules or concepts that require explaination or even the briefest exposition.

Demonstration and practical exercises are often best, requiring as little talking as possible. There are a number of sites and blogs full of ideas for introducing music to autistic children.

As many of the musicroom blog’s readers can attest, music is far more than just the enjoyable organisation of sounds and noises. For autistic children though, music can give them a voice!

Are you a parent of an autistic child learning to play an instrument? Perhaps you’ve had experience teaching a child or children with autism in the past? Please share your stories and experience in the comments box below.

Some helpful and related links

The National Autistic Society

Music For Autism

Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism

The Royal Opera House (ROH) is launching a two-year programme to boost teaching skills in singing.

Called Voices of the Future, the programme will provide professional development opportunities for music teachers and others who are seeking to become singing leaders or just want to gain confidence in singing teaching their colleagues and school pupils.

The programme is part of a larger professional teaching development scheme run by the ROH, planned to run until 2014.

It will be aimed at teachers working in Thurrock and Thames Gateway, where the ROH now has strong ties owing to its new building in the area, the Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop.

Training will be provided to a mix of music specialist teachers and those with a general knowledge and passion for music and singing, working with Years 5-8.

The first phase of the programme will run in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford between March 2012 and July 2013, with the help of Essex County Council.

It will involve three INSET days per year and will include training on vocal health, acting and movement, conducting a group, as well as other skills such as selecting a repertoire and promoting singing in school.

Teachers will also have the chance to work with specialist vocal leaders and work towards their own singing and teaching goals.

Participants of the programme will also be invited to take a tour of the ROH and the Thurruck site in order to gain a deeper understanding of the drama and decision-making that is required of ensemble singing.

Also seeking to develop the skills of the UK’s music teachers, it was announced earlier this month that a new workshop event will run in January in Birmingham to encourage conductors to be more charismatic. It will involve presentations, group discussions and practical exercises to help conductors address any confidence issues they have.

The education secretary Michael Gove has said that music education in schools will be protected despite budgetary cuts and next year’s national curriculum review.

Critics have voiced their concerns that the review will push music away as core subjects are given greater prominence, but speaking to BBC Radio 3, Mr Gove reassured those in fear of a depleted music education.

“I think anyone looking at the care and dedication that has gone into the National Plan for Music would presume from that that it would be eccentric for the Department for Education not to have music enjoying a prominent place in the national curriculum,” he told presenter Tom Service.

However, he added that he “can’t pre-empt the outcome of the national curriculum review” and therefore could not confirm that some details of the Plan would not be cancelled.

The Department for Education released its National Plan for Music last week in the hope that it would be introduced by next year.

It promises to enable every child to have the chance to learn to play a musical instrument and also sets out the idea of creating hubs at local levels to deliver music education in partnership.

“The hub structure should mean that you have greater transparency over the amount of money that goes to the organisations,” he told the news provider, adding that they would also ensure comparability over how they deliver support, while some organisations might run more than one hub.

This would make sure that across the UK, there is a “levelling-up” of music services.

Mr Gove stressed that hubs will also be monitored for providing children from poorer homes sufficient access to quality tuition and that all children have access to ensemble playing.

It has also been confirmed, however, that funding for music education will reduce by £2.5 million by April and by 2014, the budget will be just £58 million, down from the current £77.5 million, suggesting that not all of the plan will come to fruition.

The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) has welcomed the government’s new focus on making sure that teachers are fully trained in delivering music education.

As part of the government’s National Plan for Music Education, it outlines plans to create a new music teaching module to be given to trainee primary teachers, giving them additional skills in music education.

It also plans to make the wider music workforce more professionalised by having a qualification by 2013, namely for peripatetic music teachers based outside schools.

ABRSM said that as teacher development is a core part of the body, it is keen to work with organisations like Arts Council England to help implement professional music teacher qualifications.

“It is vital that good instrumental and vocal teachers have the opportunity to gain professional recognition for their work,” it stated.

Other welcome points include continued support for the Music and Dance Scheme and In Harmony, which seek to bring music opportunities to lower-income pupils.

“Music has the power to enrich lives and we want to do all we can to inspire more people to participate in music and motivate them to progress and achieve,” ABRSM said.

“We hope the plan will not only deliver its goal of making music learning accessible to all children but also ensure that those who want to progress and learn have the opportunities to do so.”

The body also fully committed its support to the report’s recommendation to create a system of music education hubs. However it added: “We would urge Arts Council England to ensure that the hubs’ remit will include the monitoring of students’ progression, as well as their participation, and recommend that its work is supported and reviewed by education professionals.”

While it largely supported the plan, ABRSM did highlight its concern at significant budget cuts set to hit the industry. It therefore called for greater private funding to plug the gap over the coming years for the report’s aspirations to be fully realised.

TODAY…Music For Kids has just launched a dedicated children’s music section within the musicroom website.

It has been designed to introduce young enthusiasts to music and it is specifically targeted at 2 to 10 year olds.

Have a look at the Music For Kids section when you get a mo’ and if you know of any product or publication that you can suggest or recommend from the Musicroom website that you consider ideal for young people, let us know asap.  If it’s not already selected, we’ll gladly review it and let you know the outcome. Contact john.bassett@musicsales.co.uk

Music For Kids has been created to;

1. Offer selected music and musical instruments for the parents and carers of 2 to 10 year olds
2. Assist with learning music at home or in a domestic environment. (not at school)
3. Recommend entry-level musical instruments and accessories or ‘starting to play’ tutorials for budding musos.

It would be great to add your recommendation to the chosen few.

Have a think and let us know…

Once you’ve got your uke, there are a couple of things to sort out: first of all, you’ll need somewhere to practise. If you choose to sit to play your uke, make sure you find a seat that allows you to keep a straight back and place your feet firmly on the floor; or a stool with a foot rail to support your feet. Frankly, you won’t need much more than the ukulele to begin playing, but there are a few accessories that might make life a bit easier.

Firstly, an electronic tuner; these are cheap and easy to use, and very accurate. Some clip on to your ukulele, and others can be put on a desk in front of you.

A music stand is another useful addition: it allows you to place your music at eye-level, and this will help to keep a comfortable posture. The height can be adjusted to let you stand or sit, as you prefer, and most stands come with little arms that will hold your songbook open at the right page.

You could also invest in a stand to keep your uke safe and prevent it from being knocked over. If you’re intending to take your ukulele out and about you might like to consider a hard case that offers excellent protection- otherwise, a padded soft case will probably be sufficient.

A spare set of strings is a good idea, although you’re unlikely to break them with normal wear. With proper technique and care, a set of strings will last a good long while.

Finally, it’s worth keeping a nail file handy – you’ll find that it’s invaluable for keeping your fingernails in shape on both hands.

TOP TIP:
If the tuning pegs on your uke are the type held in place with a small screw underneath, spend a moment ensuring that they’re finger-tight: it’ll help prevent them for slipping out of tune.

To find out more about starting up with the ukulele, get your copy of Start-Up Ukulele today.