A Choir In Every School
Every so often, a movement emerges in music education that feels less like a new initiative and more like a return to first principles. The Music Teachers Association in the UK has done exactly that with its new campaign, A Choir in Every School. The idea is really simple: every school should provide young people with the opportunity to sing together. Not as an optional extra for a select few, but as a normal, expected part of school life. The campaign was sparked by growing concern that singing in schools is declining. That reality should give all of us pause. Singing is the most accessible form of music making we have. There is no instrument to rent, no equipment to maintain, no audition required. Every child arrives at school already carrying the instrument. When singing fades, we are not just losing a tradition. We are losing one of the most powerful entry points into lifelong musical engagement. While this is a UK campaign, I think it could be replicated here in the US - especially in the many communities without school music programs that were highlighted in a new map that I posted about a few weeks ago.
What makes this campaign so good is its clarity. A choir does not need to be a large, formally structured ensemble rehearsing twice a week for competitions. It can be students singing together during a music lesson, at lunchtime, in assembly, or after school. It can be led by a specialist music teacher or supported by a classroom teacher who wants to build confidence in leading vocal music. The definition is intentionally broad because the goal is participation. The campaign focuses on starting choirs where none exist, supporting teachers who may feel uncertain about leading singing, and sustaining programs so they can grow naturally within each school’s culture.
The benefits of singing together are well documented. The Music Teachers Association highlights improvements in wellbeing, confidence, and social connection. James Manwaring has written thoughtfully about how collective singing strengthens community and supports mental health while also deepening students’ musical understanding. I had the opportunity to interview him on my podcast a few years ago. When students sing regularly, they internalize pitch relationships, develop listening skills, and gain fluency in musical expression. More importantly, they experience belonging. In a time when schools are wrestling with issues of isolation and disengagement, that sense of belonging is not a luxury. It is essential.
James Manwaring, MBE & I at the M&DEE Expo in London last week
Another strength of the UK campaign is that it pairs advocacy with support. The initiative offers resources, professional development opportunities, and a network of educators committed to expanding singing in schools. This infrastructure matters. Enthusiasm alone rarely sustains change. When teachers feel supported and connected, programs are far more likely to endure.
The larger lesson here is both simple and profound. Sometimes innovation is not about adding more complexity. It is about recommitting to something fundamental. What if every child sang regularly at school, not only for concerts or assessments, but as a normal part of the educational experience? What if we treated collective singing as a cornerstone rather than an optional enrichment?
The Music Teachers Association in the UK has decided that this vision is worth pursuing on a national scale. I’m quite certain they are right, and I believe the United States should pay close attention. I think we can do this in the US as well, and I’d love to see one of our professional organizations like NAfME or NATS do something similar. If we are serious about access, inclusion, and building the next generation of engaged musicians, we would do well to consider a similar commitment. The future of music education may well begin not with an instrument in every hand, but with a choir in every school.