As many of you may know, last year ABRSM set up a new enquiry called The Music Commission to carry out a fundamental review of how to best support progression in learning music. Its ultimate goal is to present a compelling, coherent message around musical progress.

Of course, our understanding of the benefits of music education has come a long way. We now know that musical experiences in childhood can boost brain development, igniting intellectual, social, motor, language and literacy skills. We also know that music – both the exposure to and the learning of – can benefit  people across all age groups. There are still questions out there. What’s a good age to pick up an instrument? How do you know when you’re not a beginner anymore? What does progress in music actually look like? The Music Commission survey, launched on 5 March, is the first step towards finding some of those answers. The survey's results will inform the Commission’s final report (to be published in November 2018), which will outline new recommendations for policy-makers and those across the music education sector. Your thoughts on the way things currently are will help shape how things will be. That's why we're asking everyone – whether you're a learner, a parent of a learner, or someone who's simply interested in music education – to get involved.