Choirmaster and Classic FM presenter Gareth Malone has raised concerns over a growing cultural and financial problem in the UK after music A level entries fell to their lowest level on record, warning that promising working class artists like Sam Fender could be lost in the future.
Speaking with LBC’s Ben Kentish, Malone discussed new figures showing that the number of students choosing music A levels has fallen by six percent. He described the continued drop as a serious risk to the country’s musical heritage as well as the wider creative economy.
Malone pointed to the major contribution made by the UK music industry, which generates around £8 billion for the economy each year, supports 270,000 jobs and makes Britain the second biggest music exporter worldwide. He stressed that this success begins with access to music education at an early age, including GCSE and A level studies that can help develop future performers, teachers and other music professionals.
He also expressed concern about the widening gap between state and private education, arguing that structured music opportunities are increasingly limited to children in independent schools or families who can afford private lessons. Malone cited Sam Fender, who grew up in a working class environment, as an example of an artist whose potential might have gone unnoticed if opportunities in state schools continue to disappear.
For Malone, the value of music education goes well beyond its impact on the economy. He explained that learning to play an instrument can help young people develop confidence, support their mental well being and open up opportunities later in life, regardless of their background.
Malone cautioned that unless greater investment and equal opportunities in arts education are maintained across state schools, young people may increasingly stop seeing music as a realistic profession or meaningful creative path, which could ultimately weaken the UK’s position within the international music industry.
