The Bournemouth and Poole College's Wessex Youth Orchestra spent just under £2,000 on extra players for two concerts

(Post made at 1412 UK time on 02 Jan 2018 in a personal capacity.  Please see here for important background and disclosure of interests). 

On 3 December 2016, as still then Chairman of the Society for Wessex Young Musicians (SWYM), I was very surprised to be asked to sign cheques totalling just over £3,000.  This included just under £2,000 for extra players for the WYO's concerts of 16 November 2016 (the Music for Youth Schools' Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, 16 extra players) and 4 December 2016 at the Lighthouse (at least 8 extra players).

I have no objections to extra players in principle e.g. to fill in missing parts (e.g. harp), or in situations where the musicians concerned were ex WYO members. The latter help provide extra continuity, and can usefully - because they often know the WYO children well - be part of the accompanying adults team on tours.

But the numbers involved seemed a) much higher than usual, b) the majority had no connection with the WYO, and c) had not been cleared with the SWYM Committee in advance. Expenditure had instead been approved for the WYO to receive sectional rehearsals led by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra players. I have always felt this was very valuable because all WYO players benefit from such tuition, and it also enhances the link with our excellent local professional orchestra.

The Bournemouth and Poole College's Centre for Wessex Young Musicians Facebook page claims it is a charity - I don't believe it is one

(Post made at 0855 UK time on 02 Jan 2018 in a personal capacity.  Please see here for important background and disclosure of interests). 

The Centre for Wessex Young Musicians (CWYM)'s Facebook page, set up by the Bournemouth and Poole College early in 2017, is at https://www.facebook.com/cwymwyo/.

This states that it is a "Charity in Poole, Dorset" (click on the image to see it in larger detail).

Why? And for how long has this claim (false in my view) been made?

To the best of my knowledge, CWYM has never been a charity, and neither has SWYM (the Society for Wessex Young Musicians).

Some great festive music, bringing back some very fond memories

(Post made at 1950 UK time on 29 Dec 2017 in a personal capacity.  Please see here for important background and disclosure of interests). 

Over the last few days I have really enjoyed listening to some wonderful festive music, some of which also brought back very fond memories! 

I remember really enjoying playing flute in a performance of Vivaldi's Gloria (featured in the first video below), and also Bach's Brandenberg No 1 (featured as one of the pieces in the 2nd video below) aged 11 with my school orchestra! (See note * below) 

I and another first former (year 7 in modern parlance), both about grade 3 or 4 standard, played what we could of these works, and the two sixth formers (year 12 or 13) played it all. We were both in awe of their skill, and wanted to play like them, and it was a great privilege to be in the group of performers and to be able to hear all the wonderful playing and singing going on around us.  

Just a few reasons why music (and particularly group music) is so important in education

(Post made at 1220 UK time on 28 Dec 2017 in a personal capacity.  Please see here for important background and disclosure of interests). 

In today's world in which very many children have a very short attention span and very often call out/take a sip from a water bottle, taking part in a group musical activity (such as a choir or a wind/brass/string/percussion band, or an orchestra, or even "just" a series of call and response musical games in a class setting) offers many life skills that will stand them in very good stead in their future working and family life.  Here are just a few that come to mind:

Best wishes for a musical and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

"Even though I'm deaf, it does not mean I can't play the violin!": a touching, but also troubling story

(Post made at 2110 on 24 Dec 2017 in a personal capacity.  Please see here for important background and disclosure of interests). 

I must confess to ignorance here: I knew about virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, but before reading a recent article in the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) magazine, I did not know that deaf people could play the violin.

The NDCS has a "Get Deaf Aware" poster (the link should download a copy to your device) that includes as one of its phrases "Even though I'm deaf, it doesn't mean I can't play the violin!". There is a touching (but also troubling) article in their magazine about a girl with moderate deafness who has been playing the violin and has really been enjoying it.

To quote the article:

"This summer Olivia, who's been playing the violin since she was seven years old, won our Raising the Bar competition.  Her prize was to spend a weekend playing in an orchestra with professional musicians who are deaf, which gave her another confidence boost".

No Bournemouth and Poole College Board minutes published for the last 6 months?

(Post made at 1903 on 1 Dec 2017 in a personal capacity.  Please see here for important background and disclosure of interests). 

From: Patrick Lee
Sent: 01 December 2017 18:57
To: 'clerk@thecollege.co.uk' <clerk@thecollege.co.uk>
Subject: No College Board minutes published since June?

Public & non confidential

Dear Clerk to the Corporation

The College website states that it endorses the Nolan Committee principles (*) for those holding public office, and in particular that minutes of Board meetings will be published on the College’s website (**).

Please will you explain why no minutes have been published for the last 6 months (since June 2017, as shown in the screenshot below), and when the missing minutes will be published?

Thank you.
Yours sincerely

Patrick Lee

(*: see https://www.thecollege.co.uk/about-us/college-information/corporate-information/our-board-and-governance/governing-body-meeting)
(**: see paragraph 3.2 of https://www.thecollege.co.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/Public%20Access%20to%20Board%20Papers%20and%20Confidentiality-updated%20Sept%202015.pdf)
Screenshot from College website Board minutes page: