State schools in England have seen a 21% decrease in music provision over the last five years, research suggests.
At the same time, access to music in independent schools has risen by 7%, according to figures from the BPI.
The gap widens amongst poorer pupils, with just one in four schools in deprived areas offering music lessons.
“You can’t imagine how distressing that is to hear,” said Chi-chi Nwanoku, founder of Chineke, the UK’s first majority-BAME orchestra.
“But it’s not news to me – because I know that music and the art subjects are being systematically stripped out of all of our schools – and that always hits the kids who go to the free schools.”