Dari Taylor MP

Over the years, I have been very privileged to listen to some astounding vocal and instrumental performances in the Tees Valley. I have attended magnificent concerts at, for example, Middlesbrough Town Hall and many local secondary and primary schools. I am of the real hope that we will be celebrating the Last Night of the Proms this year with the BBC on Teesside.

The fact that we have incredible musical talent within our area is, I believe, without doubt. This year we’ve had a young local bass-baritone singing at Glyndebourne. Last year we had local talent singing in Verona. However, I am concerned that our gifted young musicians need greater support if they are to fully develop their potential. Community music groups additionally need more help to enable them to perform to an ever-higher standard for the benefit of local people. I am determined that we should champion the brilliance that so many of our young musicians exhibit, which is sadly usually only exhibited in concert halls in other British cities and around the world. Equally, I want more Teessiders - young and old - to have the opportunity of participating in classical music; an activity that is sadly often considered as being appropriate for a small elite in our community.

Alongside a number of local classical musicians I have thus developed Platform, a classical music project for Tees Valley. Platform will officially launch in Spring 2006 as a result of the support received to date from the University of Teesside, the Arts Council North East, the five Tees Valley local authorities, arts and business sponsorship bodies and a multitude of local companies. I am incredibly excited about this project and I am of the absolute belief that it will bring benefits to many people across our area; most of all it can only serve to increase the sense of pride in Teesside.