What is ChangeAthon?

Back in October we hosted our first ever ChangeAthon. It was an energetic and inspiring day at Mansion House, as educators came together from across the country to explore ways to break down barriers in music. The day involved problem-solving that brought together young people, musicians and music educators to collaborate on, and identify solutions to, the challenges aspiring young musicians face today. It was informed and inspired by the Change Champions whose voices were crucial throughout the day, and in the workshops leading up to the event, making an impact for so many of the attendees. 

The Movement spoke to Music Masters trustee Philippa Thomas, who led an inspiring coaching session at ChangeAthon. Philippa said: “ChangeAthon has made my heart beat faster. I knew there would be a lot of intelligence in the room, and a lot of passion for making change, but what I hadn’t anticipated was the energy that comes from people offering ideas and answers to each other, and being pushed and challenged to think through them again. The depth of the process and the energy it produced really amazed me.

“Some of what we heard today was a real sadness about the fact that music is undervalued. What needs to be offered is a way to connect to people who are ambivalent about music.

“It felt here today that things are getting tougher. There needs to be answers and there needs to be a way to tell the story, and connect people in supporting music.”