EQUALIZE

Non-academic partner: Young Sounds UK  

Academic host institution: University of Westminster 

EQUALIZE will develop an innovative training model for music educators that bridges the disconnect between young people's engagement with electronic and Black-British music outside school and their formal music learning experiences.

Summary

EQUALIZE is a cross-sector collaboration designed to revitalise music education by aligning it more closely with young people¡¯s musical identities and creative practices. Led by Young Sounds UK and the Black Music Research Unit (University of Westminster), in partnership with Punch Birmingham, and Bradford Music and Arts Service, the project brings together national and regional expertise to reshape how music is taught in schools.

By developing new teaching approaches rooted in electronic and Black-British music, EQUALIZE will support educators to diversify their practice, embrace emerging technologies, and respond more effectively to the cultural contexts of their students. The project will be piloted through summer schools, in-school workshops, and teacher training programmes, generating practical strategies that are both innovative and grounded in lived experience.

The Context and the Challenges it Addresses

Electronic and Black-British music are vital parts of the UK¡¯s popular music landscape, resonating strongly with young people, especially those from low-income backgrounds. These genres shape young people¡¯s daily musical culture but are absent from the British secondary school curriculum. Clearly, music taught in schools is not reflecting the sounds that young people are passionate about, so formalised music education is losing relevance and appeal. Music education¡¯s lack of diversity also intersects with a further imbalance in electronic and Black-British music scenes. Both genres offer powerful opportunities for innovation and cultural expression but are not immune to the music industry¡¯s pervasive struggle with gender imbalance. EQUALIZE is founded on the knowledge that electronic and Black-British music rely heavily on contemporary tools and techniques not commonly taught in the classroom. We have consulted extensively with music educators, who overwhelmingly indicated that while they want to include these genres, many lack the confidence and training to do so.

Aims and Objectives

• Equip educators with the skills and confidence to incorporate emerging technologies and integrate electronic and Black-British music into their teaching.
• Enable teachers to identify and nurture musical potential in young people through the creativity and music they love.
• Disrupt the trend of declining music engagement by co-creating the programme with young people, teachers, and local music leaders, ensuring that all voices shape the project¡¯s development.
• Deliver community-based summer schools, school-based workshops, and teacher training programmes to ensure that all students, regardless of background or gender, are equipped with tools to create music using new technologies.
• Promote a more inclusive and representative music education curriculum and set a precedent for policy change on inclusive curriculum design.

Potential applications and benefits

EQUALIZE has the potential to transform music education by making it more inclusive, relevant, and engaging for a wider range of young people. By equipping teachers with the skills, tools, and confidence to teach electronic and Black-British music, the programme enables educators to connect more meaningfully with their students¡¯ cultural and creative lives. This increased relevance could lead to higher levels of student engagement and retention in music education, particularly among those who may not see themselves reflected in the current curriculum. 

In the longer term, EQUALIZE can help diversify the UK music industry by introducing underrepresented groups to genres and technologies not typically taught in schools, opening up new creative and professional pathways. By demonstrating the value of culturally responsive and technologically forward approaches to music teaching, EQUALIZE can also serve as a model for wider curriculum and policy reform, embedding equity, innovation, and inclusivity at the heart of music education.