Whether it’s banging a toy on a biscuit tin or clapping along to a tune, young children seize any opportunity they can to make music.

Melodies and lyrics teach us so much as we grow – would you really have learned the alphabet so quickly if it didn’t have a tune?

If your child is always singing and clapping, music can be a gateway to a whole new level of creativity.

Read more here.

Image source, Sistema Scotland

Sistema Scotland runs the Big Noise orchestra programme, designed to ensure children from the most deprived areas in Scotland can enjoy musical education.

There are currently four programmes running in Stirling, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, engaging with over 2,000 children and young people.

Sarah and Laura Ayoub arrive at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, slightly flustered.

The train from their family home on the outskirts of Glasgow was cancelled and they had to dash - with cello and violin - to make our appointment.

But within minutes, they're composed and calm, playing a piece for our cameras.

At just 22 and 24, the Ayoub Sisters have already established themselves as a major force in the classical world.

It's only a short time ago that Sarah was studying music in this very building (Laura studied at the Royal College of Music in London) and that's why they're here today.

Like many professional musicians, they believe their successful careers would not have happened without the music education they received in Scotland.

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Image source, Creative Scotland

The Youth Music Initiative, delivered by Creative Scotland, aims to:

• Create access to high-quality music-making opportunities for young people aged 0-25 years, particularly for those that would not normally have the chance to participate.
• Enable young people to achieve their potential in or through music making.
• Support the development of the youth music sector for the benefit of young people.

Read more about funding here., external

Image source, bbc

Tavish Scott says paying for individual tuition is augmented by private tuition which raises challenges for those who can't pay.

The Lib Dem MSP calls for a chunk of money to be allocated from somewhere to increase the numbers of children learning an instrument.

He also warns that the duration of music classes is falling.

The Lib Dem MSP points out the lunch hour is shorter which affects music tuition.

Green MSP Ross Greer says deprivation continues to shape young people's lives in Scotland today.

He highlights that when some councils introduced fees, pupils from less well-off background were more likely to drop instrumental lessons.

It is often families who fall just above the income threshold who suffer most, Mr Greer highlights.

I'm not convinced a centralising move of setting fees or funding would be helpful, he tells the chamber.

He says councils have faced cuts while having little power to raise their own revenue, and he insists local services will only be properly funding when councils can raise revenue.

A petition calling for free music tuition was lodged in June 2018.

The petitioner, Ralph Riddiough, believes charging for lessons is unlawful.

Mr Riddiough, who is currently crowd funding to submit a judicial review on the issue, says councils are using a loophole to charge fees because tuition is non-statutory.

He said: "The report from the education and skills committee was very supportive and, with some of the conclusions of that report, I am moving now into a legal process to try and force an outcome."

Labour MSP Iain Gray cites the varied benefits of learning an instrument and says his three daughters all learned one and he listened to classical pieces played with wildly varying skill, providing great fun to the girls.

He says the benefits of playing music were shown vividly in the evidence to the committee by MSYPs Alice Ferguson and Catherine Mackie.

The Labour MSP adds there is clearly an argument that instrumental tuition, outside study for SQA exams, should fall under that heading of the adequate provision of a free education.

Mr Gray says this interpretation will be tested in court and goes on to say core council budgets have been reduced by £1.64bn since 2011/12.

Image source, bbc

Mr Swinney says seven local authorities are providing instrumental music tuition for free which undermines Mr Gray's argument that it is about money.

The Scottish Labour education spokesperson replies they had to make tough funding decisions to do so and proper core funding for councils would solve the issue under debate today.

Tory MSP Liz Smith says music should be at the heart of any curriculum "because it has the potential to transform lives".

At a time when raising attainment is a central priority for the parliament, nothing must be more important than finding motivational channels she adds.

Ms Smith highlights variation between what local authorities provide and expresses concern that this correlates with inequality, with the most disadvantaged communities worst impacted.

If fees are unavoidable, we must consider other options such as providing councils with bursaries to provide lessons she suggests.

The Tory MSP says statistics tell a story of decline in pupils taking up an instrument.

Charging pupils for music tuition means only the "elite" can afford to learn to play an instrument while poorer children miss out, MSPs have heard.

School music tuition remains free in some council areas, while others charge more than £500 a year.

School pupil Alice Ferguson told a Holyrood committee that her school band had lost members because they could no longer afford music lessons.

And she said charging for music tuition was "increasing inequality".

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Image source, bbc

Mr Swinney says the Scottish government supports access to music through a range of measures, including the national centres of excellence.

He cites funding to Sistema Scotland, external and the Youth Music Initiative, external.

The education secretary says he supports the education committee's main finding that music tuition should be provided free of charge in every local authority.

The Scottish government is committed to working collaboratively with partners to maintain instrument tuition, Mr Swinney tells the chamber.

The expressive arts are an essential part of broad general education but local authorities can exercise discretion regarding instrumental tuition, he adds.

It is the responsibility of councils to ensure pupils are not prevented from learning an instrument because of their background, disability or financial circumstances the education secretary states.

He insists there is no dubiety in the guidance available and no pupil will be charged when preparing for SQA exams.