The principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has defended music education following “insulting” comments made by a local authority’s head of education.
Linda McAulay-Griffiths told East Ayrshire councillors at a public meeting that she was “not really seeing the point of a wean knocking seven bells out of a glockenspiel”.
She added that she did see the value of “wains knocking seven bells out of tools and being able to do that”.
The comments came during a meeting about the development of a new vocational centre being built.
McAulay-Griffiths was discussing employability issues, including the availability of apprenticeships.
After being circulated on social media, the comments were branded “ignorant” and “disrespectful” prompting an apology from the councillor.
Responding to the comments, Jeffrey Sharkey, prinicpal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, highlighted that music education has been found to improve wellbeing and social inclusion.
He said: “Multiple research studies undertaken internationally show the multidimensional value of music education in improving wellbeing and social inclusion, strengthening literacy, numeracy, memory and attention; building creativity, teamwork, discipline, resilience and confidence and developing exactly the transferable skills employers identify as essential for a 21st-century workforce.
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland“Like all the best forms of education, music education is also about opening people’s minds to what’s possible for us as a society and individuals within it, not closing minds to limit opportunities.”
Ms McAulay-Griffiths has since apologised, insisting that the short clip “has been taken out of context”.
“The wording of my statement within the meeting was in no way intended to devalue the currency of music education and activity, but I am able to see how such a short clip may be taken as having a negative take on both the curricular positioning of music and its benefits for young people, and I apologise for this,” she said.
“I do not support this statement under this interpretation, it was a throwaway comment, which on reflection, I can see may be misinterpreted, particularly when taken out of context.
“Throughout my career, I have been very supportive of music education and fully recognise the benefit to children and young people as evidenced through academic research.”
The council said that it has a “strong tradition” of promoting music education working in partnership with musicians and composers in particular Sir James MacMillan, through the Cumnock Tryst and Nicola Benedetti.
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