The latest edition of the leading music education magazine YES features the launch of Think Again Education and our plans for the future. YES, from instrument makers Yamaha, is distributed to thousands of music teachers across the UK and available now in digital form. Think Again’s Marc Jaffrey explains what lies behind the setting up of Think Again Education, and the challenges facing today’s school leaders.

“Richard Gerver and I look forward to empowering heads, teachers and senior leaders in education to make the changes they know are right for their schools and their children.”

You can read the latest edition of YES by clicking here. If you’re unfamiliar with the Yudu system, click on the image to get started, then turn the pages either using the arrows at the top, or the page “corners”.

We’d love to know what you think of the article and our plans, you can leave a comment with YES magazine, or here on our site.

Think Again director Marc Jaffrey has written a hard-hitting article for the first issue of a new magazine aimed at the music education sector. In it, he warns the sector is “on a burning platform’.

“2011 will be a critical year in the history of music education in England – one where music educators will either work together to determinedly put the fires out and build a more sustainable education platform…or fade’.

To read more of Marc’s article, you can download a special digital extract from the magazine by clicking here.

Think Again are providing expert advice to one of the UK’s leading grant-making organisations – the Paul Hamlyn Foundation – on one of its major education programmes. The Musical Bridges project is aimed at improving the musical education of young people by encouraging greater contact between primary and secondary schools.  The recent Henley Review of music education said poor communication between  schools was a significant barrier to children continuing their musical careers.  Think Again will be working with the PHF team on the Musical Bridges project.

Think Again have joined forces with Coveney Communications to further strengthen their work in the schools and education sector. Together, we can offer a full PR, marketing and communications service to schools and other educational organisations.

Coveney Communications is headed by Petra Coveney, who has 20 years of experience in PR, delivering national campaigns for some of the country’s leading organisations and individuals.

For further details of how Think Again can help your school or organisation click here, or e-mail info@thinkagainmedia.co.uk.

Congratulations to the talented people we’ve been working with in the field of music education. They see on a daily basis how playing an instrument and singing enrich children with skills and friendships that can last a lifetime.

Which is why they have campaigned so hard to protect funds for musical activities in schools, along with groups bands, choirs and orchestras for young people. Today they got their reward.

The Goverment has responded positively to an independent report by Classic FM’s MD, Darren Henley, on the future of music education. The result: a ringing endorsement for the superb work our clients do and a commitment to public money to fund it further.

The report sets out challenges too, but we are confident our clients will meet those with the same creativity and determination. They will also capitalise on the strong position they have gained through careful negotiation and influence.

We have worked with them throughout the process: training, consulting and advising. Their message was clear and they communicated it well to their key stakeholders. Now they stand confidently in the face of change, ready to embrace the opportunities it brings. We’re proud to have played a part in their success.

Read the Henley report in full here

And a summary of the Government response here

One of the great things about helping people to get their message across effectively is when you see it being put into action – especially with digital or “new” media.  Although sometimes it can be a bit unnerving.  Digital media aren’t just changing the way we communicate, they’re changing the way people react and feedback when you’re training or working with them.

Yesterday, we had a great session with the team at Tameside Music Service – helping them to come across better on TV and radio. A few months ago, we’d convinced them of the value of using social media to promote their work. They were obviously listening because by the time we got back to London, the films of their interviews were up on their Facebook page, attracting loads of positive comments and discussion – along with a photo taken, unknown to us, on an iPhone during the radio session.

Today, I was explaining the benefits of Twitter and other social media to a conference at the Cass Business School attended by representatives of Black and Asian charities and campaign groups.  Highlights from the presentation were tweeted live by some of the people attending, some of the people I mentioned were notified (on Twitter, of course) of what I’d said and I got live, digital feedback straight afterwards. Thankfully, the audience and the feedback were really positive.

If you’d like us to enlighten or inspire you on digital media or any other aspect of your messaging and communication – drop us a mail.  Or just Tweet @ianparkinson or @jaffreyman

“The Think Again training is inspirational…able to deliver exactly what we need at the time we need it – which is NOW”

A ringing endorsement – one we’re really proud of – from the Chair of the Federation of Music Services.

So far, 25 local authority music services have taken part in Think Again’s Campaign and Communication programme and another 25 are being given the opportunity when the second programme gets underway in March.

Full details here.

Need convincing of its value? Listen to just one testimonial from the first sessions:

‘The course is practical, challenging, relevant and enjoyable. The leaders are experienced in media and marketing, and they share their experience openly and professionally.”

We can do the same for you, of course, whatever business or sector you’re in.

Marc Jaffrey has been given an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.  The award is in recognition of his services to education.

Marc took on the role of Music Manifesto Champion in 2004 to campaign for improvements in music education in schools and communities. He led a team drawn from the music industry, the arts and education to influence government policy and unlock record levels of funding for young people’s music making.

Thanks to Marc’s leadership, millions more children now have the opportunity to play instruments and sing. “I feel privileged to have worked with an amazing team of people who are as passionate as I am about music and its importance to a child’s development.”

“Music has the power to inspire, enrich and transform a young person’s experience of learning. It is fun, it gives us all a lift and it brings out the creative individual in us all. I am proud to be honoured in this way. Our music education system and our music industry are world leaders. This award recognises the brilliant work being done by thousands of people around the country to keep Britain musical. Music is working for children, our young people and our nation as a whole.”

Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM and Chairman of the Music Manifesto, says he’s delighted by Marc’s award.  ”Without his tireless efforts, many of the landmark changes in music education over the past few years would simply not have happened.”

marc.jaffrey@thinkagainmedia.co.uk

Photo by Hazel Thompson

Bob Lefsetz is one of the most consistently entertaining commentators on music and culture.   For a quarter of a century, his “Lefsetz Letters”  have been a passionate but clear-eyed take on the music business; championing the fans and the artists but with little time for the shroud-waving and special pleading of record label dinosaurs.

His latest thoughts on music education are worth reading, prompted here by the efforts of the great Quincy Jones.

As we travel the country working with the UK’s music services, the value of teaching children a musical instrument, or singing, becomes clearer than ever – and the stories we’re collecting will provide valuable evidence in the campaign to preserve that  precious resource.

Lefsetz has stories to spare, and he tells them well. But the line that echoed most with me is buried in the middle of his letter  ”Screw kids taking lessons in order to raise their math and English scores, kids need to learn music for music itself.”