MUSIC is big business these days.

The creative arts is an area where the UK excels and as the rest of the world competes to beat this nation in producing goods at a cheaper more competitive price.

It seems obvious that investing in creativity is a sensible way to protect the nation’s ability to produce wealth.

The cuts announced yesterday into grants to fund music education in schools, while sadly expected, is one area where the calls for a reprieve should have been heard.

That budgets need to be trimmed is accepted across most of the political spectrum. And at first glance music in education might appear less important than subjects such as the sciences.

Yet from theatre to pop, rock to classical, digital to live events, the UK can still produce world-beating artists and products.

While the cutbacks then may be music to the ears of the Treasury for now, the blow to our future ability to produce money-spinning, high-earning artists might prove to be a low note in the future.