The story of the WMA

It began life in 1936 when five London Labour Choirs met to perform together at a time when the world was hurtling towards a struggle to contain the menace of fascism; embodied in the conflict of the Spanish Civil War; the development of the holocaust; wholesale genocide, and the suppression of human spirit.

Alan Bush, (whose photo you see at the top of the first page,) with the support of many like-minded people founded the WMA as a response to those conditions and seeing the need for a body to be the spiritual home of Workers who could express their hopes and wishes through music, about the way the world should be. Alan’s life story can be read elsewhere, but given what has been written here so far it ought not to be a surprise that the Objects of the WMA are as set out below.

The WMA is dedicated to encourage the composition and performance of music with special regard to:-

Music which expresses the ideals and aims of mankind towards the improved organisation of society.
Music which exerts an influence against the social injustices of our present society.
Music which encourages and reflects the activities and aspirations of the labour and peace movements for a new society.

Any individual or group who supports these objectives is eligible for WMA membership.

The WMA Summer School Of Music
The Summer School is the largest single activity undertaken by the WMA and is described elsewhere on this site.

Several Trade Unions have funded Scholarships for their members to attend this school and we have been pleased by this association with the Trade Union movement.

Songs of Peace and Freedom.
The Summer School Choir has given first performance of several works specially commissioned for the School, including Alan Bush’s ‘Mandela Speaking’ and ‘Africa is my name’ sing in the presence of members of the African National Congress. An exciting first performance some time ago now was when Mikis Theodorakis smuggled out of a Greek gaol and sent to Alan Bush the “Freedom Song” which was sung at Summer School.

Production of music
We also Print, publish and sell music (including specialised and international music) and information about aspects of the literature of music.

Currently we are looking at the song  books for which the WMA has copyright, as well as sheet music which might be of interest to members for which copyright has expired and formerly held by non-WMA organisations. The 'Shuttle and Cage' (Ewan McColl) songbook of industrial Ballads will be published in a reprint shortly.

This policy would help to make available a wealth of music echoing the traditions of the Labour Movement through history and advancing those ideas into the present day This will take a little time to organise, but it is something we intend to pursue. We need to work out cost implications both in the production costs and also the value of the copyright we hold. We would have to print a catalogue giving the contents where we decide on publishing CD's too, so that people will know what is there. This an example of ideas we are exploring to seek to enhance opportunities for our members to improve access to music and to enjoy making it.

But not only music from the past is available. Current members write songs and compose music of all kinds. Some of these deal with issues of today. One platform for these compositions is an annual ‘Composers’ Concert’.

The Annual ‘Composers’ Concert’
This includes some of the music composed in the composition classes at the Summer School and other music composed by members during the years. This year Autumn Concert has been held and the next Composer’s Concert is likely to be in Autumn 2012.

The Bulletin
A quarterly Bulletin is issued containing information about events which are thought to be likely of special interest to members, both current and from the past. Space is given for letters and articles which discuss matters of concern to members, who are also invited to offer articles for publication.

In some towns and cities there are choirs affiliated to the WMA and who share the values and beliefs embodied in our ‘aims and objects’. A reference to these choirs is on the page headed "Radical Choirs" click here now if you wish to see the list..

Out current vice-presidents are

Joan Horrocks; John Jordan; Eberhard Rebling; Peggy Seeger; Pete Seeger; Ronald Stevenson. 

Past Vice-Presidents have included.
Malcolm Arnold, Rutland Boughton, Aubrey Bowman, Alan Hacker, Hans Werner Henze, Benjamin Britten, Pau Casals, Edric Connor, Aaron Copeland, John Ireland, Dmitri Kabalevsky, Martin Lawrence, Humphrey Lyttleton, Georg Knepler, A. L.(Bert) Lloyd, Elizabeth Maconochy, Ernst Meyer, Peter Pears, Anna Pollack, Paul Robeson, Alan Rawsthorne, Paul Tortelier; Katharine Thomson, John Williams.

Other figures have contributes to the past work of the WMA.

For example:- John Hasted, Eric Winter, (others from the list above will be added)  and this site will be developing moments in history describing all these and other activities involving the WMA.

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