Music, of all sorts, is alive and well in Herefordshire.

From festivals in villages to much larger events, from folk bands to chamber music, there is so much to listen to or take part in.

Just before Easter there was a very successful event organised by The Music Pool and Music Hub, involving many hundreds of children from over 40 primary schools, in which the children came together in various venues to sing songs which they had practised during the term.

Any child may take part and this is truly a "Music for everyone" event.

In Stoke-on-Trent, possibly not noted for its music, the famous Halle Orchestra intends to set up a free school which will emphasise music in the curriculum, with admission criteria taking musical aptitude and interest into account, not attainment.

It is the intention to create a centre of excellence for education through Music.

Pupils will have classes which will include master classes with the musicians from the Halle as well as spending time with the Halle choir and youth orchestra.

This is an inspiring ambition and will be a wonderful opportunity for young people.

Of course the Department of Education has to give approval for the project and also one wonders where the financial backing is going to come from?

Philanthropists in this country seem to be in short supply, particularly for enterprising arts schemes, despite the fact that some people in our society seem to earn astronomical amounts of money which they are not willing to donate any fraction to valuable arts projects.

There is a very large discrepancy between funding for the Arts in regions outside London by the Arts Council for example.

One statistic I read was that subsidy in London works out at £65 per head of population compared to only £5 per head outside London.

So, come on Sir Nicholas Serota, new boss of the Arts Council, those of us involved with the Arts, wait with interest to see if you will be giving a fairer "slice of the cake" to the regions ,where so much valuable, inspiring – and yes – enjoyable work is taking place.