Dear Supporters, You haven’t heard from me for a few weeks. This is purely because I’ve been extremely busy working with organisations across the music, education and arts sectors – and today I can reveal what we’ve been doing… In today’s Sunday Telegraph (23/11/14), I have written an open letter to the Government, demanding that they take action on music education. And 26 other organisations and prominent musicians and artists have added their names to mine. This list includes everyone from the Royal College of Music to the Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts, from Julian Lloyd Webber to Sting: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/11246561/All-children-need-access-to-a-good-music-education.html The Sunday Telegraph have written a news story to go with it too: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/11247907/Children-have-been-let-down-over-music-say-leading-musicians.html These are senior figures and organisations, many of the most well-respected and influential names in their sectors. By joining their voices with ours in co-signing our letter to Government, we are collectively sending an incredibly powerful message to the decision-makers of this country - music education is vital, and the Government must take action to ensure the promise of the National Plan for Music is met. EVERY child, regardless of background, should get a good music education and the chance to learn an instrument. Here’s where you come in. Let’s add your voices in support with the letter signatories. Together we send a potent message to Government. Draw the Government’s attention to the letter by: - Posting this message to the Department for Education’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/educationgovuk): Children deserve the chance to learn an instrument! Senior figures agree with us - the Government must take action on music education: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/11246561/All-children-need-access-to-a-good-music-education.html - Telling the Department for Education on Twitter that music matters (@educationgovuk): @educationgovuk Hear our voices! End the inequality in music education now: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/11246561/All-children-need-access-to-a-good-music-education.html #dontstopthemusic - Sharing the letter with everyone you know - share it on Facebook, retweet us, email the link to your friends. And keep encouraging people to sing the petition – the more people sign up, the stronger we will be! http://www.dontstopthemusic.co.uk/add-my-name Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And let’s keep the pressure up! James Rhodes www.dontstopthemusic.co.uk Twitter: @JamesRhodesDSTM Facebook: www.facebook.com/JamesRhodesDSTM