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Church Music

Volume 455: debated on Wednesday 24 January 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provision exists in the national curriculum for teaching about the role of church music in English culture; and if he will make a statement. (110894)

The national curriculum for music sets out that children must be taught about music through a range of live and recorded music from different times and cultures including music from the British Isles, the “Western classical” tradition, folk, jazz and popular genres, and by well-known composers and performers. Religious education syllabuses are drawn up locally and it is a matter for individual schools to decide within this framework if they wish to address the role of church music. Choir schools in the independent and maintained sectors are pre-eminent in supporting church music and maintaining our rich choral heritage.