Youth Music Initiative

In 2003, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) was launched to put music at the heart of young people’s lives and learning. Funding is awarded by Creative Scotland to local authorities to ensure every school pupil in Scotland is offered a year of free music tuition in primary school. In addition to providing an equal and inclusive opportunity, the YMI offers primary children the chance to benefit from the widely recognised benefits music tuition has across the curriculum. Not only does learning an instrument benefit literacy, numeracy, listening and team working skills, but it can enhance confidence, self-esteem, critical thinking and one’s ability to express themselves.

In Moray, YMI funding is used to offer a year of free group music-making on recorder or ukulele to P5 children and guitar at Elgin High School. Workshops take place on a weekly basis during school time and incorporate the use of percussion (tuned and untuned), singing, and learning to read notation. The skills your child will develop during these workshops will complement any other music-making they may take part in and will boost their progress should they be playing another instrument at the same time. To ensure an equal opportunity for all P5s to participate pupils are provided with an instrument and resources for their playing.

Moray Council Youth Music Initiative Flyer 2025-26

For more information on Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative see their website.