Barbican on music mission

The Barbican is to become London's biggest " afterschool club" by providing free concerts and music lessons for some of the capital's poorest pupils.

Under the Government's £300million school music initiative, the London Symphony Orchestra will work from its Barbican home with schools across London to get more children playing classical music, schools minister Lord Adonis announced today.

The scheme will run alongside a national children's orchestra programme, inspired by Venezuela's El Sistema project which has rescued hundreds of children from poverty. The UK version, In Harmony, will be led by cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

In Harmony will receive £3million while the LSO scheme and four regional music partnerships will each get the same amount.