NOW's system.
Background
Now’s Fast Track Learning System has an integrated 3 level programme of training with Wind Orchestras.
Before we understand why NOW is developing such a system and how it works, we need to find out a bit about NOW’s Musical Director.
The idea for this unique system came from NOW’s Musical Director Andrew Bassey, a professional trained musician and teacher with over 25 years experience. Andrew came to Northampton in 1997 to take up a woodwind post with the Northamptonshire’s award winning Music Service NMPAS, having just returned from nearly 3 years as principal bassoon in 2 South African orchestras. Andrew studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and graduated in 1983. Andrew was not from a musical family in fact he was brought up on a poor council estate in Manchester, and musical instrument tuition was not available at his local Junior school. However, Andrew started his musical training at the age of six in the Salvation Army on a cornet (a brass instrument), becoming a regular soloist at the age of nine. Andrew went on to learn master to a high level all the instruments of the brass band by the time he was twelve. He took up the bassoon at 16 and within 6 months Andrew was principal bassoon in the Manchester Youth Orchestra, reaching grade 8 standard and performing Weber’s Bassoon Concerto within one year of starting. Andrew had an absorbing interest in all musical instruments and while at college completed an ‘Art of Teaching All Woodwind Instruments’ course for all woodwind instruments, each instrument was taught by top college professors. Andrew also took up conducting at the RNCM. Since leaving music college he has had a varied career in teaching, conducting and professional bassoon playing.
Andrew has been concerned for many years about the lack of opportunities in music for ordinary people in our communities who cannot afford private lessons. While teaching in Northampton Schools Andrew managed to get most of his pupils beyond grade 3 and over half beyond grade 5. In fact Andrew was the most successful of all NMPAS teachers having over 120 examination candidates per year. Many reached grade 8 with distinctions on all woodwind instruments including one flute player Jemima Clarke who gained an dipABRSM (that’s a diploma beyond grade 8) on her flute at the age of sixteen. Andrew’s ensembles and bands in schools and Trinity Centre were regularly performing in local festivals and gaining fantastic results, as were his pupils in Solo classes. Andrew’s hours in the schools progressively rose every year as he was very focused on the children developing in the schools. Within the first 4 years Andrew made enough hours to employ another person. NSGs allocated woodwind teaching time leapt from five to eighteen hours 3 years of teaching there, and Andrew’s work was key to this increase. Even though Andrew worked tirelessly in the schools, he noticed that what was happening would never really benefit everyone, but always the very few. Overall (across the whole music service) about 70% of children were giving up before they reached grade 1. The system was too expensive, bureaucratic and elitist and everything seemed to support the County Groups System and not the schools. Andrew did complain about a number of problems including the funding structure and the way the County Group auditions favoured students of certain teachers (on the panel) rather than being fair to every council taxpaying parent.
So what happened? Andrew’s son was diagnosed with Autism and Andrew and his wife Anne wanted to help him at home and they wished to allocate mornings for that purpose. Unfortunately NMPAS would not allow Andrew to reduce his hours to ½ time, it had to be all or nothing, so he was forced to resign. This gave Andrew and his family a unique opportunity and Andrew now had the time to develop sometime different. On 15th October 2005 NOW was born. 9 players attended the first practise most from Northampton Concert Band that Andrew used to conduct.
Andrew and Anne run a son-rise programme for Matthew and have had very good results. NOW’s performing ensembles contain colours related to sunrise – red, orange and yellow.
Andrew wanted a system that would be efficient, effective, and affordable and not subject to bureaucracy or politics that could include everyone in the community - something simple that was based on the American system. Andrew realised that Wider Opportunities was not the answer as it is still very expensive (at least 3 fully paid staff members for 30 children) and there is not enough time for 7 - 8 year olds to sufficiently understand and develop, as it typically runs for one hour a week and funding runs out after 2 or 3 terms. Although more children start instruments and continue still most give up when the funding stops. Good practise in America revealed that where the programme was very successful children had a band class every day for 40 minutes – just like Maths and English! That’s 3 hours 20 minutes a week with one teacher teaching all the band instruments. This was simple, affordable and effective.
Meeting everyday is impossible within the community but one hour a week is clearly not enough. 2 hours a week is better but must be backed up with some home study. Younger children are advised to come with a parent and learn together.
As Andrew has experience teaching and playing all Band instruments this would help efficiency and keep costs down. To stop bureaucracy creeping in it has to be run as a private business and without funding from the LA. The other side of the coin is the Community Band idea which is vital but again to stop this from becoming political that too must be part of a private business. However the performing ensembles will have a voluntary committee to help with organising events and publicity.