I’d like to teach the world to sing
I went to a rather good primary school in West London today to find out more about the Voices Foundation. It was set up in 1993 by the glamorous Susan Digby (aka Lady Eatwell). It exists effectively to promote music teaching in schools, but in particular singing. It has a tiny budget, just £600,000, and works with about 60 primary schools, but it has touched thousands more. Singing is not as simple as it sounds. Teaching kids from as young as three, it promotes discipline, team work, even maths (think of counting random beats). The Voices Foundation is yet another example of a brilliant idea, promoted with passion, surviving on a shoe string but making a real difference. The Government announed a few weeks ago an extra £10 million for singing, and a new singing tsar, Howard Goodal. None of the money has yet to reach the Voices Foundation. We will wait and see.