The government has pledged £82.5 million for music education, with the aim of ending the musical divide between pupils from poor and wealthy backgrounds.
Education secretary Michael Gove said the money will be used to make provision of music tuition more equal across England and attract talented performers and graduates into the teaching profession.
He noted that many disadvantaged youngsters are currently being denied the music education they deserve.
"All young people should have the chance to benefit from the opportunities that music can bring – not simply those pupils from wealthy backgrounds whose parents can afford to pay for lessons," Mr Gove commented.
He added that in some parts of England, music education is "simply not up to scratch".
The National Society for Education in Art and Design voiced its concern this week that art and music could suffer as a result of the new English baccalaureate qualification, which encouraged pupils to focus on more academic subjects.
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