Press coverage of James Rhodes' instrument amnesty
The Don’t Stop The Music Instrument Amnesty received tremendous public support, with several national newspapers keen to chat to James Rhodes to find out more. Take a look at some of the press coverage the amnesty attracted during its six-week run.
“Rhodes rightly says that his initiative is designed to fill the gaps left in this government’s – and the last one, and the one before that’s... – failure to meaningfully live up to their well-intentioned but, in practice, hollow promises to make instrumental tuition available to every child in the country.”
'Cash-strapped Larkholme Primary School in Fleetwood, Lancs, doesn’t have the money to buy any more instruments.
But pupils are keen to start an orchestra so they have joined the Don’t Stop the Music Instrument Amnesty, launched by classical pianist and TV presenter and campaigner James Rhodes.'
'With over 3,000 instruments already pledged before the October 17 deadline, Sting joins music legends Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones and Ronnie Wood, who are also backing James’ campaign to get instruments into the hands of primary school children who need them, including participating schools in the North East such as Balliol Primary in Newcastle and Sunningdale School in Sunderland.'
“Rhodes is putting out a nationwide call for people to donate instruments they no longer need. He has planned this “amnesty” with military precision, too. 'I have partnered with Oxfam and Yodel,' he says. 'So if you have an instrument that you or your children no longer use, no matter what condition, you can take it to your local Oxfam shop."'
'Sir Paul McCartney, Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and singer Jessie J have given their backing to a national musical instrument "amnesty" which has already collected 3,000 items.'
Piece by James Rhodes: 'In Basildon, I was able to help with resources and support to teach Year 5 pupils to play instruments - instruments I managed to pull together through a local 'instrument amnesty', an initiative I decided to roll out across the UK. The results in just one term in Basildon were inspiring: not only did children enjoy learning to play, it boosted their confidence and for some even improved results in other key subjects.'
'[School headteacher] Mrs Heaton said the school has a vision of creating its own orchestra and has bid for violins and cellos, percussion instruments and recorders.
“The idea is that if someone donated an instrument, they would be more than welcome to come to our orchestra concert and see the pleasure brought and the impact on the children,” she added.'
[Quoting James Rhodes] '"...give a £500 trumpet to a kid who hasn’t been given much of anything, and it’s met with disbelief, then suspicion, then delight. We criminally underestimate kids, but they look after them, practise, show up on time to rehearsals and grow about three feet taller when they perform."’
'In his Channel 4 series, Rhodes attempts to launch Britain’s biggest “instrument amnesty”, asking the public to donate unused instruments.'
'...his efforts at transforming an orchestra of nine- to 10-year-olds at St Teresa’s in Basildon, Essex (where pupils previously played margarine tubs, copper pipes and dustbins), are remarkable. “Like a lot of people in this country, I chronically underestimated the kids. I thought: if it’s not a phone app, they won’t be interested. They were amazing – kind, funny… And there was genuine talent.”'
'James Rhodes wants my clarinet. The 39-year-old pianist is in the process of launching an ‘instrument amnesty’, calling on the people of Britain to take their rusty bassoons, detuned cellos and obsolete keyboards to their nearest Oxfam shop to be donated to schoolchildren.'
The Don't Stop the Music instrument amnesty ended on 17 October 2014. Donations of instruments are not longer being accepted.
