JELICA GAVRILOVIC asks why she can’t get guitar tuition for her child in the Inverness area – and what does it say about music tuition in general?

IT’S BEEN eight years now, perhaps only another couple to go, in my eternal triangle – Drum to Beauly to Inverness to Drum. Today it’s snowing, but having paid for this month’s tuition fees upfront, missing out is not an option unless the weather becomes distinctly disagreeable. Luckily, we have a flexible guitar tutor, who, with over three hundred pupils on his books, still manages to juggle time, and admirably so.

There’s an irony about our journeys, having spent many years raising funds for children to take part in what should be everyday activity in the arts, running a feis, workshops and projects; I find myself puzzling over how to make a music education work for my child.

Guitar students at a specialist music school in Ontario – but what are the options here?

We’ve had two piano tutors and are now with the second guitar teacher, as ability slips into a standard I can no longer keep pace with. After meeting with our High School music teacher in the autumn to discuss my child’s music education, a daunting scenario starts to unveil itself. More travel, more money, more time – another triangle on a greater scale to make the education complete and to get through the necessary process to attain a place in a competitive market at University.

I add up the cost of the last eight years. I don’t begrudge it, but have toyed with the idea of presenting the total costs to somebody, somewhere, and asking why, as an ordinary working-class single-parent, I can not access affordable tuition and grading in guitar where I live? The High School is unable to provide it at this moment in time due to council budget restraints, but we do have a recording studio, music room and a theatre space.

A friend from the world of rock said the only way was out – out of the current education system and into a private one, away from home and to another city. She said the Musicians Union was fully aware of problems UK-wide in instrument tuition, and the International Orff tutors I have met through Music Trains say it’s becoming a global concern!

Something has fallen through a small crack – or like water escaping from a slow leak unnoticed, we are losing a fundamental part of our cultural existence and seem unable to fix the situation, or are not interested in doing so.

I raise my eyebrow at the suggestion of private schooling. I’m talking guitar here, not harpsichord. Actually, even if it was the latter, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem accessing tuition in 21st century Europe. Surely we are open to all genres and instruments. Apologies, cynicism is setting in – back to the issue of guitar tuition and grading.

After a few calls and emails around the Highlands, it was surprising to note that hardly anyone knew firstly what I meant by grading and secondly, where it could be attained. Most people were stumped regarding guitar tutors – I was given two names, no one had a list, bar, of course, the good music folk on Church Street.

Apparently you can get guitar tuition in Thurso and Wick via the council. When I asked about Inverness High Schools, the response was one of uncertainty – I am waiting for the council to get back to me to confirm.
Fèisean nan Gàidheal, who told me they didn’t engage in exams, recommended the Yamaha School of Music. Too expensive, strange group tuition – no thanks. I called the Scottish Arts Council; they suggested the Scottish Music Centre. They don’t keep a database of tutors but suggest I visit www.ABRSM.org to find out about places to take grades and costs – if available – in the Highlands. So now I have to call London to find out what the craic is.

A whole day goes by. I still don’t have the information I want in my hand: a tutor in guitar who does grading to University intake standard, preferably living in the Inverness area, west-side or even Highland, plus the nearest place we can go to take grades. HI-Arts’ John Saich responds with Rock School as a suggestion, and tells me Aberdeen is the nearest option for taking exams. HIE are honest with a ‘don’t actually know, but we’ll get back to you’. Meanwhile, this turned up in an email:

Children In Scotland Publication – Every Child – Every Childhood – Picture This

This new publication celebrates the central role culture plays in the lives of children, young people and their families. Published with the support of the Scottish Arts Council, this publication expands on themes first explored in issue 14 of Children in Europe magazine and the subsequent conference in December 2008.

Themes explores include:

• community, self-reliance and sustainability
• an outline of pioneering changes in arts education
• why art, music and the performing arts are vital to our communities.

Order now at www.childreninscotland.org.uk/publications

This doesn’t have a list of guitar-grading tutors either. It’s pretty though, just like all the other publications on the shelf behind me.

According to one source, an end to free instrument tuition came about in 1998 in the Highlands when the council decided to introduce charging. Numbers fell and private tutors plus the feisean helped to keep some instrument tuition going. We don’t know how many children lost out around the time of the cuts or how many are now paying for their education in music – or how many just can’t afford any of it. Is this worth looking in to? Or shall we just get on with making things happens right now – it is possible.

I could go on to explain why I think instrument tuition is important, why choice is important, why affordability and access are relevant AND why a rounded music education for our children in this century, is of the utmost importance. Important is a word I can’t get out of my mind right now. Traditional music, jazz, classical, world music are all important. All children are important. Every child has the right to a good education. We should be able to provide it.

It’s also quite daunting to think that if the humble guitar is struggling to maintain its presence, what on earth can be happening with education in other instruments. I wonder how many clarinet players there are, oboe, double bass or cellists at High Schools, and what are children learning at primaries? Is everything moving towards the informal education sector and events-based-give-it-a-shot one-offs? If so how do we ensure all children can participate?

I believe good tutors/teachers are best for our kids. Perhaps something else is going to take their place. My next article will investigate further.

© Jelica Gavrilovic, 2010

Links

• Artsplay Highland