Following the emergence of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK, we explore matters to consider for your music group.
Updated 15 May
Although an easing of some lockdown measures was announced 10 May, this was only for England and there is a general perception now that a return to ‘business as usual’ is likely to be gradual and potentially stretch over months, rather than weeks.
As her brass band soldiers on virtually, Making Music CEO, Barbara Eifler, reminds us that there are many people who still haven't made forays into the digital world.
Orchestra founder and manager Adrian Bullock tells us how Making Music member group, the Enfield Community Orchestra, got ahead of events caused by coronavirus by creating a new way of running their activities and keeping their members connected online.
Tell us about the Enfield Community Orchestra and how it was run before the coronavirus outbreak?
Making Music is delighted to announce that Andrew Jackson, founder and creative director of the Cobweb Orchestra, has been awarded the 2019 Lady Hilary Groves Prize.
The prestigious prize, presented annually, is given to an individual of a Making Music member group who has had a significant impact on the success of their music group or made an outstanding contribution to music in the community.
Rachel Holt, a singer in the Stay At Home Choir, reflects on the music industry’s rapid digital response to COVID-19, and the silver linings that might come from making music online during isolation.
We are in a weird twilight zone of music making at the moment. From living room concerts, to livestreams, Zoom chats and virtual choirs – it’s both uplifting and thought-provoking to see the instantaneous way in which the music industry has adapted to this new digital arena.
Making Music Chair and viola player, Dorothy Wilson, shares research into ways to play together online during coronavirus lockdown
Making Music has been supporting lawyer and community musician Ralph Riddough’s campaign, to clarify the lawfulness of fees for musical instrument tuition in Scottish state schools.
On 16 March, Ralph Riddiough received the formal response from the Scottish Government to his complaint that it is unlawful for local authorities to charge fees for the provision of musical instrument tuition in state schools. The complaint has not been upheld with no detailed reasons given.
Week two of the lockdown saw a new challenge for our Chief Executive, Barbara Eifler, and members of her brass band. Here's how she got on.
Making Music's Chief Executive, Barbara Eifler, reflects on her first week of brass banding the digital way.
Like all leisure-time music groups, my brass band, which includes three bands (main band, training band and starter band) has stopped its weekly rehearsals due to the coronavirus and we are all at home, working in ‘home offices’ or twiddling our thumbs.
Making Music’s member survey took place just before the lockdown and reveals aggregate losses of £8.8m across our music groups.
24% of members (883) responded in just three days, and they were broadly representative in terms of distribution across vocal, instrumental and promoting groups.
90% of respondents have had to cancel public events, and almost all of those who had regular weekly activity (e.g. rehearsals) had already cancelled these, too.
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