The letter from Chief Executive Roberto Neri highlights the threat this decision poses to the talent pipeline, music education in the North East and the future of songwriters and composers across the UK.
Full Letter to the Vice-Chancellor on the University of Northumbria
Dear Professor Andy Long
On behalf of The Ivors Academy, which represents songwriters and composers both in the UK and internationally, I am writing to express our concerns about the suspension of the undergraduate music programmes (Foundation Year and Music BA (Hons) at the University of Northumbria. At a time when university music departments across the UK are already under severe pressure, this decision risks causing lasting damage to our sector, to the livelihoods of our members and to the next generation of composers and songwriters.
These courses were designed precisely to address the challenges now facing music education. They are practical, industry-focused and built to equip students with the skills they need to thrive in the workplace. It is therefore troubling that they are being withdrawn before, apparently, they have had the opportunity to realise their full potential or deliver on the university’s strategic aims. The Foundation Year provides an essential bridge for students whose talents might otherwise go unsupported. Combined with the university’s commitment to widening participation, closing these programmes removes one of the few accessible pathways into the profession for young people in the North East of England.
Our research shows that 96% of previous winners and nominees of our prestigious Ivors Classical Awards studied music to higher education level or equivalent. This pipeline matters. Most professional composers combine writing with teaching and other musical work. Any threat to these activities is a threat to the portfolio careers that sustain professional composition.
The result will be fewer opportunities, the loss of skilled jobs and a diminished musical landscape, affecting early career creators and established professionals alike. The government has already identified the creative industries as one of the UK’s priority growth sectors. That recognition is only meaningful if supported by action. Protecting music education is essential for producing well-rounded citizens and for sustaining the talent pipeline that ensures music’s future.
The North East is vital culturally and economically to the UK. This year alone the region has been recognised through the Mercury Music Prize, the expansion of BBC Introducing’s region-wide partnerships and Sunderland’s designation as a Music City. Classical music in particular plays a longstanding and invaluable role in the region’s artistic and educational life. The university’s strategic priority of “powering an inclusive economy” aligns directly with supporting routes into the UK’s £8bn music industry. Closing these courses moves in the opposite direction.
We therefore urge the University of Northumbria to reverse the suspension of its undergraduate music courses to protect the provision of music at the university and uphold the North East’s standing as a leader in music, creativity and opportunity.
Yours sincerely
Roberto Neri
Chief Executive Officer, The Ivors Academy
Board Directors
Ayanna Witter-Johnson, David Arnold, Dru Masters, Emily Howard, Eve Horne, Fiona Bevan, Iain Archer, Ines Dunn, Lizzie Esau, Mika Sellens, Orphy Robinson MBE, Renell Shaw, Tinie Tempah and Tom Gray, Chair
