Throughout the year, this is the place to come for exclusive images, reports and footage from Tune In - Year of Music events up and down the country.

Sing Up celebrates The Children’s Plan Two Years On

This week the Department for Children, Schools and Families celebrates the second anniversary of The Children’s Plan, the White Paper outlining the ambition to make England the best place in the world to grow up. Since we’re in the Year of Music, the celebrations wouldn’t be complete without some talented children providing some celebratory music. Kensington and Chelsea’s excellent Platinum Sing Up choir (from St. Mary’s RC Primary School) visited the Department’s headquarters in Westminster to sing at the launch of The Children’s Plan Two Years On progress report. Check back for a picure of the choir in action, pictured with Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Rt. Hon Ed Balls MP, and DCSF’s Permanent Secretary, David Bell.

For more information about The Children’s Plan Two Years On, click here.

Music For Real: win a recording session at Abbey Road Studios

As part of Tune In – Year of Music, the Department for Children, Schools and Families is working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Learning and Skills Improvement Service to run an exciting competition for teenage bands, groups and soloists. Music for Real is an online music, business and enterprise competition for learners in post-16 further education. It fits in with most Creative and media and Business programmes. The online resources for teachers (http://tlp.excellencegateway.org.uk/tlp/cam/music/about.php) will enable learners to work in small teams independently and creatively. Learners write an original composition of a maximum of 3 minutes, record the performance on video and write a convincing business plan. The prize is a recording session at Abbey Road Studios, with guidance and career advice from professional music production staff. Entries can be submitted until 5 February 2010. Voting and judging will take place, and the winner will be announced on Monday 15 March 2010.  

To enter the online competition space, click here.

STRICTLY COMPOSING…calling all young composers

International violinist Sian Philipps and musicologist Antony Hopkins CBE are running a new composing competition to find a new Tango piece, of five minutes or less, for Sian to record on her next CD alongside other tangos by Piazzolla, Gardel and Graham Lynch. STRICTLY COMPOSING is backed by Henry Kelly, Sir John Madejski, The Marquess of Zetland and BBC Music Magazine. The winning entrant(s) will learn about how a professional recording is made, have their piece released on a professional label (www.music-chamber.com) and hear it performed at a London event. STRICTLY COMPOSING is open to entrants up to the age of 19, whether a school/college group, or an individual. Entrants can use any instrumentation but must include violin and piano. The judging panel will be chaired by Antony Hopkins CBE. For more information visit www.myspace.com/strictlycomposing or email strictlycomposing@live.co.uk

20 November 2009 - Back to School with The Jonas Brothers

This week saw the launch of Tune In’s brand new Back to School programme of master classes, which will see music experts of all genres visiting a school or other setting to share, inspire and teach children and young people about how music can enrich their lives. The trailblazing Back to School master class saw award winning, Grammy-nominated, and much-loved singer-song writing siblings The Jonas Brothers visiting Ryton Comprehensive School in Tyne & Wear.

The young brothers had years of experience in musical theatre and song writing before forming their sibling rock band in 2005. They have so far sold over 8 million albums.  

Disney’s Camp Rock UK artist Brad Kavanagh introduced Kevin, Joe and Nick before the interactive session kicked off.  Ryton’s Year 7 pupils heard tips on learning to play basic guitar melodies and putting together a song, as well as techniques for how to keep up the momentum with practising to improve. A small group learned to play a song with the band in a hands-on teaching session, and the Year 7s had the chance to ask the band about how music has changed their lives.

Steve Williamson, Head teacher at Ryton Comprehensive School said: “We are very proud to have the Jonas Brothers at our school. Ryton runs a number of extra-curricular music activities and I hope that the Jonas Brothers coming to the school today will inspire more children to get involved in music and take up a musical instrument.” 

Kevin Jonas said: “Music has been such an integral part of our lives and our journey together.  We are really excited to be sharing our passion for the subject and hope to inspire kids to pick up an instrument if they have never done so before, or to practice more if they already know how to play.” 

Click here to watch a short film of the action, and contact us if you are an school or organisation keen to take part in this programme of master classes.

First Class: The Ultimate Music Lesson

View exclusive footage from the national launch of Tune In - Year of Music.

This footage includes clips of guitarist Slash, N-Dubz, Katherine Jenkins, Girls Can't Catch, Amanda Holden, Dannii Minogue, Jamie Cullum, English National Ballet, The Hoosiers, Vanessa Mae, the cast of West-End production Wicked and DJ Yoda.

Click on the image of VV Brown for a recording of the live lesson.

Click on the other images to view the three pre-recorded segments: Inspiration, Passion and Advice.

Exclusive footage and images from Tune In - Year of Music will soon be available on the DCSF YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/dcsf and the DCSF Flickr album http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcsfgovuk