PROTESTERS took to the streets of Haddington as they continued calls for school music tuition fees to be scrapped.

Talented young musicians from across East Lothian protested on Court Street last Thursday lunchtime.

Hannah Russell, who played violin while at both East Saltoun Primary School and Ross High School before going on to study occupational therapy at Queen Margaret University, was one of those who took part.

The 21-year-old told the Courier: “We’re asking people to write down their thoughts and I’m going to put them all together and it’ll form our letter to the Scottish Government.

“Initially we wanted to focus on East Lothian Council but budgets are cut and we’ve got to look further.

“East Lothian was one of the last areas to have this [charge introduced] and there’s a bit of a nationwide campaign [against it] so we’re just trying to add our bit.”

Mhairi Brown from Haddington added: “I’ve just graduated as a primary school teacher and I use music a lot in that.

“It’s not just about playing at school – there’s much more to it than that.”

Tranent resident Sam Buchanan, said: “I suffer from developmental co-ordination disorder and music has really helped me with that.”

Developmental co-ordination disorder is a motor skills disorder that affects five-to-six per cent of all school-aged children.

It occurs when a delay in the development of motor skills, or difficulty co-ordinating movements, results in a child being unable to perform everyday tasks.

The controversial decision to introduce £280-a-year fees for music tuition was taken by councillors at a meeting in Haddington last month.

At that meeting, councillors often had to raise their voices to be heard over more than 50 musicians who congregated outside to protest.

However, despite playing a medley of tunes on drums, saxophones, bagpipes and trumpets, their pleas fell on deaf ears, with East Lothian Council’s cabinet committee deciding to set a charge and end free Instrumental Music Instruction (IMI).

The new fees will be introduced next month and a concession rate of £240 will be charged to siblings of a pupil paying the full fee and there are plans to provide free tuition for pupils who qualify for free school meals, are looked after or studying towards an SQA music qualification.

A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council said details of charging exemptions and discounts, including a new dedicated bursary scheme, would be available by the end of the month.