One of the most remarkable aspects of the recent Coronation of King Charles III was the quantity of music commissioned specially for the occasion – not to mention the genuine diversity of styles represented by the chosen composers, who themselves were diverse in gender and ethnic origin to a degree never before seen at a British coronation. The result was an inspirational musical morning that must have made quite an impression on any budding composers who were watching. If you have a child or a pupil who has an interest in studying composition, you may be wondering what options are open to them at schools, colleges and universities around the UK.
The question of whether music in general, let alone classical music or composition, can be studied seriously in the state sector is currently under debate, with fewer and fewer primary schools beingincreasingly urging their children to focus on subjects relating to science, technology, maths and engineering in order to ensure their future employment in careers more lucrative than the arts, which means schools may not have enough potential candidates to justify offering curriculum music beyond GCSE.
