Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, possibly the biggest name on the UK music scene, has thrown his support behind campaigners trying to stop the abolition of instrumental music tuition in local schools.

Lord Lloyd Webber has added his signature to the petition to save East Sussex Music instrumental tuition from being withdrawn from September 2019.

In a week that has seen the Peer honoured with a Tony Lifetime Achievement Award and a Special Recognition Award from The Classic Brits, he used his acceptance speech to launch an attack on policies that continue to see the decline of music being taught in schools.

“It is vital that we keep music in our schools. It’s not about necessarily turning children into musicians, it’s about empowering them in all sorts of ways. It teaches them to be all-round human beings at a time when it’s really important that we celebrate not just the individual but what they collectively put in. Music is an empowering force”.

Campaigners now hope that East Sussex County Councillor Bob Standley who is the Lead Member responsible for making the crucial decision will listen to what Lord Lloyd-Webber, a man at the pinnacle of his career and revered by the global music world, has to say..