2025 has been a year of significant growth and deepened impact for Live Music Now’s Music in Education strand. Across our tri-nation work in Northern Ireland, England and Wales, we continued to develop musical experiences that recognise and build on every child’s strengths, interests and potential.
Our professional musicians remained central to this work, delivering high-quality, inclusive music-making in schools and specialist settings. Throughout the year, we invested in focused training, mentoring and reflective practice, ensuring our musicians are equipped with the insight, adaptability and confidence needed to work effectively in diverse educational environments.
Count Me In! continued to progress across England and we completed our first projects in Wales, supporting specialist schools to embed inclusive ensemble-making through flexible, creative approaches. Schools reported clear improvements in engagement, communication and confidence as young people were offered musical roles tailored to their strengths. This was reflected in our first cohorts of students receiving accreditation through Trinity College’s Awards and Certificates in Musical Development.
Musical Mondays also expanded, with live and recorded sessions streamed into classrooms in England and Wales – and, for the first time, into Northern Ireland. Presented by Live Music Now musicians, the series removed geographical and resource barriers, enabling thousands of pupils to take part in shared, high-quality musical experiences.
Our Autism Resource Bases Music Programme entered a significant new phase, supported by a major AHRC award. Alongside planning new Musician-in-Residence projects in Wales and Northern Ireland, we shared emerging learning at an in-person event in Belfast, at the Music Mark Conference in Nottingham, and through an online presentation to colleagues across the UK.
Across all strands, a consistent theme emerged: when music-making builds on young people’s strengths, it nurtures connection, belonging and self-expression. Together, these experiences build confidence, engagement and wellbeing – foundations that support young people far beyond the music session. In 2025, we saw again how music can open up new possibilities for young people.
