The Case for Live Music in School

Words by Odhran Lavery

Imagine walking through the hallways of a school, hearing the harmonious sound of a live band practicing in the music room. For many students, this is more than just background noise; it's a critical part of their education and personal development. 

Music education has been a part of school curriculums for many years, but the emphasis on live music performance adds a dynamic layer that creates a deeper connection to the art. Schools that can integrate live music into their curriculum provide students with unique opportunities to develop cognitively, socially, and emotionally. I have been incredibly lucky to have spent much of my time in a school surrounded by live music, courtesy of an amazing music department at my school. They continuously inspire and push pupils to take part in music in and outside of school by hosting concerts, giving advice on how to perform and get good gigs, and helping to provide spaces for pupils to practice. For me, I was pushed by one of those teachers, Mr. Stewart, to try my hand at working on sound for these concerts. This push of encouragement gave me the inspiration, experience, confidence, and passion to pursue sound engineering outside of school 

There are many benefits to having live music in school. Socially music fosters teamwork and collaboration among students. Playing in a band or orchestra requires individuals to work together harmoniously, developing communication and cooperation skills. 

Live music also serves as an outlet for self-expression and stress relief. For many students, performing music allows them to express emotions that words cannot capture. Martha Cornish, a student at my school who has been performing since S1, told me about this, think it has certainly shaped the person I am, as a musician but also as a human. Opportunities to showcase live music and receive feedback have made me much more confident in sharing and promoting my music, and that has had a knock-on effect on the confidence I have in everyday life.." Personal stories like these highlight the emotional benefits that live music brings to students' lives. 

Martha Cornish also told me about how the opportunity to perform songs at school concerts allowed her to overcome the stage fright and anxiety that many artists experience."Regular school concerts have made me feel more comfortable in that environment and encouraged me to get involved in live music opportunities outside of school as well." 

Struan Bewsey, frontman of the band The Watts, also shares his experience, stating, "Our first two school gigs gave us the confidence to pursue live gigs outside of school. It's a low-stress environment to play and have fun on stage compared to how a gig outside of school can be daunting and stressful." This shows just how live music in schools can pave the way for students to build confidence and pursue their musical aspirations further. 

Seeing older students perform live music in school was particularly inspiring for Martha and Struan. She explains, "Seeing older students perform was incredibly inspiring. It motivated me to practice and improve." and Struan tells me about seeing a band in the year above him 'cardiac arrest' play and immediately knew that was what I wanted to do and it gave me the confidence to know that playing music was something I could do and take part in. I saw them playing gigs outside of school and it helped me realise I could do that and it wasn't some far off out of reach goal that I'd have to wait until I was at uni to try and pursue." 

Of course, pursuing music in school isn't without its challenges. Martha Cornish discusses the difficulties she faced, saying, "I'd say the main challenge I've faced pursuing music at school is that some people are just going to be mean about what you do. Criticism is important, and I appreciate people's raw and honest opinions, but there's a difference between criticizing and being unkind." 

I spoke to Daisy8000, a musician based in England who wasn't given support in school to pursue or perform music, about how this lack of support affected her journey as a musician. She shares, "I just went to a regular state school that didn't really push music as a subject, so not having that option to play live in an educational form definitely held me back as a young musician. I didn't really discover my love for making music until later on in my school years. Had I known earlier that I wanted to make music my profession, I would have applied to an art school like the Brit School, so I could've had that opportunity to play." 

While Daisy was lucky to be able to pursue music after she finished school, many people in the same situation as her wouldn't be as lucky and might have been unable to continue or start their own musical journeys. 

Implementing live music programs in schools can face several challenges, such as budget constraints and lack of resources and Schools often struggle to find the funding necessary to support this however it doesn't have to be an expensive technical endeavour and is as simply giving a student a microphone and a guitar at lunch times and giving that student the opportunity to play and show their music off to their peers and build their confidence. 

In summary, live music in school environments offers a multitude of benefits that extend beyond academic performance. It fosters teamwork, enhances cognitive abilities, and provides an emotional outlet for students and as Martha aptly put it, "live music in a school environment is important for everyone, not just musicians. A love of music is universal, and so allowing live music to have a large presence within school spreads a lot of joy!. 

So, let's support live music programs in schools through advocacy, donations, or involvement in local music education initiatives. Together, we can ensure that future generations continue to experience the profound impact of live music in their educational journeys.