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.
The international celebration of music, Make Music Day, has set up a number of online initiatives to connect everyone through music on 21 June.
Unlike traditional music festivals, Make Music Day is an open invitation for everyone to make music anywhere and everywhere. While it's hoped that it will be possible to take over the streets with music on 21 June, if it's not, you can join one of the online Make Music Day initiatives that will take place no matter what.
Clare Edwards, Musical Director of Notorious Choir, tells us about the successes and challenges of the group's first online rehearsal in light of COVID-19.
Like groups all over the world, my choir, Notorious, has had to cancel our forthcoming rehearsals and concerts for at least the next couple of months.
In light of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK, Making Music has been considering how best to support staff and members in these unsettling times.
Making Music will be remaining operational and will be here for members throughout the time that extraordinary measures are in place.
Jonathan Wells, Chair of Haslingfield Choir, tells us about the choir's latest Adopt a Composer workshop with Alex Paxton.
Claire Victoria Roberts shares an insight into her first Adopt a Composer workshop with the Camden Symphony Orchestra.
With the film Military Wives out in cinemas this week, we celebrate the military wives choirs phenomenon that started out in Yorkshire with a Making Music member group.
Rob Jones reflects on the early challenges and rewards of writing his new Adopt a Composer piece for The Edge Chamber Choir.
The government is consulting the public on its National Plan for Music Education - submit your views before Friday 13 March.
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