A DAD whose five-year-old daughter plays the violin has hit out over a major shake-up in the way music will be taught to York youngsters.

Ian Gill, 48, of Belle Vue Street, Fishergate, said his daughter Christina loves playing the violin, but he has dubbed planned changes to the way children learn an instrument as “a complete tragedy”.

A major shake-up of music teaching in York schools is set to go ahead in September.

Under the plans, entire classes of Key Stage 2 children will learn a musical instrument for a year, after which parents will have to make their own arrangements with freelance instrument tutors if their children want to continue.

Mr Gill said: “Imagine trying to teach a class of five year-olds the violin. It would be absolute chaos. Most of them wouldn’t want to learn and those who did wouldn’t get any benefit from it.

“I think the whole plan is ill- thought-out and is based on cost-cutting rather than anything else.

“Instruments need to be taught on a one to one basis or in a small group. Christina really enjoys her lessons and it’s been proven that learning a musical instrument aids brain development.”

Currently, Christina, who goes to Fishergate School, is one of hundreds of youngsters taught by York Music Service which organises lessons for individuals and small groups, which are partly paid for by parents and given in school.

But from September, most of the instrumental teachers will be made redundant and under an approved tutor scheme will be able to work as freelance teachers in the schools.

The council will continue the York Arts Academy sessions on Saturday mornings at Canon Lee School to give children the opportunity to play in orchestras and ensembles and sing in choirs.

Currently, 1,400 children take instrumental lessons and 850 more have classroom instrument teaching.

Under the new scheme, 3,000 children will have the year-long classroom tuition.

The shake-up is expected to save the council £41,000 in 2011/12 and £75,000 in 2012/13 in subsidies, but the 2011/12 savings may be eaten up in redundancy payments.