MAX wishes to encourage and support the significant inclusion of music in the upcoming BBC educational schedules
It is wonderful to see how swiftly and generously the BBC has reacted to the most recent lockdown, announcing its ‘biggest education offer in its history across more of its platforms’.
We are writing to encourage and support the significant inclusion of music in the upcoming schedules outlined above – and to explore whether anything will also be released on the radio. The BBC has a wealth of superlative material to draw upon, from something like the finely conceived Ten Pieces projects to the many superb performances in its archives: there is music for all.
Aside from the considerable array of online material the BBC already provides and continues to develop, the commitment to programme at least five hours of television across BBC Two and CBBC for each weekday of lockdown will help sustain the otherwise highly disrupted education of so many children, in turn supporting their families and carers in these most challenging circumstances.
This is clearly programming designed to engage and inspire well beyond its immediate educational remit – and what a tremendous help it will be to those whose access to schooling and didactic resources is suddenly so terribly limited.
Indeed, music programming is hugely accessible and has broad appeal, speaking as it does to all ages and those of all abilities. It can offer well-documented improvements in cognitive ability across other disciplines and its addition to this already excellent offering would mark a considerable ambition in improving the cultural lives of the next generation.
We hope that the BBC will seize this rare opportunity for many children to engage with music in a way that their daily lives – in more normal times – might not lead to, or even allow for. It is a perfect vehicle through which to inform, educate, and entertain – and exposure now could bring both immediate comfort and instil a life-long love.
MAX Musician and Artist Exchange
Richard Baker
Iain Burnside
Caroline Clegg
Gerry Cornelius
Nicholas Daniel
Amy Ewen
Thomas Guthrie
Thomas Hancox
Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian
Barry Ife
Jonathan Irons
Miranda Jackson
Jennifer Johnston
Netia Jones
Amos Miller
Elaine Mitchener
Jackie Newbould
David Parry
Clare Presland
Gweneth-Ann Rand
Lucy Schaufer
Jack Sheen
Jessica Walker
Andrew Watts
Raymond Yiu