A GROUP of leading musicians, including the Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, has launched a campaign to ensure all primary school children are given the chance to learn to play an instrument, cost to their families.
The musicians, past winners of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, said that the ability to learn to read and make music should be a universal right and are calling on the UK Government to protect these rights.
In a letter to The Observer, the group, which also includes oboist and conductor Nicholas Daniel, and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, warn instrumental music learning is being "left to decay" in many British schools.
They write: "We are all deeply concerned that... it could seriously damage the future of music here and jeopardise British music's hard won worldwide reputation.
"It is crucial to restore music's rightful place in children's lives, not only with all the clear social and educational benefits, but showing them the joy of making and sharing music.
"We are especially concerned that this should be a universal right."
In Scotland there has been growing concern and alarm over the status of musical tuition.
Education is a devolved matter, but decisions over music tuition is made at local authority level.
A recent petition to Holyrood said that tuition in schools is facing “death by a thousand cuts”.
Paolo Nutini, Ms Benedetti and Dame Evelyn Glennie are among some of the Scottish musicians who have voiced concerns.
Ms Benedetti has long been a vocal supporter of music tuition, and is also a backer of the Sistema Scotland charity, which has established youth orchestras in Stirling, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen.
More than two-thirds of Scotland’s 32 councils charge for music tuition and fees have been rising in recent years.
Several local authorities are considering cutting back on free music tuition in schools, with one, West Lothian council, hoping to save £500,000 a year by reducing provision for stringed instrument and percussion lessons.
Provision has also come under threat in Edinburgh, while South Ayrshire council plans to introduce charges for lessons from August.
Former acting Labour leader Harriet Harman, who is backing the campaign in the Westminster Parliament, said: "The problem is that it's just a postcode and class lottery, and it shouldn't be like that.
"We can't say that, because of austerity, we will just accept inequality."
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