We ask Fife Council to cancel their planned cuts to the Music Service. A total of 50\% cuts to instrumental tuition will decimate music in Fife, and stop everything that it truly outstanding about Fife's current system. We ask you to reconsider your assessment of the value of instrumental tuition on the lives of our youngsters and our communities.

We believe that Fife's music education is outstanding and a precious asset to the kingdom. The instrumental teachers are key to students' individual successes. Current high Music curricular examination results are reliant on these teachers. The high numbers of students from Fife attending prestigious music colleges is testament to the value of instrumental tuition, which is far from 'extra'-curricular for many of our students, but can be the best thing about their experience of school. Students from all backgrounds currently access musical tuition. It is a progressive and inclusive model which will certainly revert to an elitist activity if the cuts proceed.

The jewels in Fife's cultural crown are its musical ensembles, in particular Fife Youth Orchestra, consistently praised for its exceptional performances across Scotland. The standard of excellence which every student achieves before acceptance into the orchestra takes years of instrumental tuition. This will no longer be possible without our instructors, resulting in the slow death of our finest and most democratic arts institution.

Show your commitment to the arts and culture in Fife by understanding and protecting its most precious asset: its Music Service.