DISADVANTAGED children are being prioritised at Berkshire Maestros, as the charity aims to support young people post-pandemic in a new musical masterplan.
The county-wide music charity, which teaches more than 4,000 children in lessons and music groups, has published an inclusion strategy.
It focuses on running a more diverse range of classes, including South Asian music, hip-hop and drill. It will also look more heavily on “social outcomes” as well as musical achievements.
Strategy author Dr Phil Mullen said there is a very mixed picture of deprivation across Berkshire and often there are large differences in levels of deprivation within one borough.
“In 2020, Wokingham was named the least deprived area of England and yet use of the borough’s food banks soared by 218% between March and August 2020, with food parcels provided for 1,668 adults and 1,338 children,” he said.
The inclusion strategy aims to improve the lives of children such as Ben, who is a student in a special needs school.
Through his music lessons with Berkshire Maestros, Ben has performed in school concerts and joined an open orchestra as a pianist, where the group says he has thrived and grown in confidence.
His violin teacher said they feel privileged to have seen Ben’s progress.
“I am humbled by the enormity of this gift, and grateful of the opportunities we can offer to develop his life skills alongside his exceptional music abilities,” they said.
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Dawn Wren, CEO of the charity, said the project is at the heart of Berkshire Maestros’ plans for the next four years.
“There has never been a more pressing time to seriously tackle inclusion, than now as we come out of a global pandemic that has adversely affected so many people,” she said.
“Disadvantages have become greater and issues have become more complex affecting the health and wellbeing of many young people.
“It has become the number one priority therefore for Berkshire Maestros to focus on inclusion in its ceaseless aim to support all children and young people.”
Partnerships and inclusion development manager Jamie Baird said music can have a “transformative power” for children.
“I was there to teach every child in the room how to play the violin, but most importantly, how to connect through music,” he said. “The gasps were audible as I performed live, right in front of them.
“Some may consider this group of children disadvantaged, but I feel they were the opposite in some ways. Multi-lingual, multicultural, vibrant and so eager to learn.
“Through the 10 weeks together, we learnt about their own cultural instruments and had performances from groups, individuals and the whole class as one — confidence, positivity and teamwork blossomed.
“When the time came for me to leave the school the teachers were visibly upset,” he said.
“I then realised the profound effect learning an instrument had had on these children.”
Adam Pollard, chair of trustees for the music charity, is keen to emphasise the importance of this musical masterplan.
“Berkshire Maestros has always stood for quality music education in Berkshire, and this exciting new project spearheads a fully inclusive approach for the organisation,” he said. “It will enable us to develop powerful, appropriate and tailored music education, which will benefit more children in challenging circumstances.”
