More than 1300 people have signed up to a Facebook group condemning the move outlined in Fife Council's budget.

It will see a quarter of the region's 75 extra curricular instrumental teaching posts axed in the coming year and the same again in 2011/12, saving the local authority around £835,000 over the next two years.

The group, Help Save Fife Instrumental Teachers!, claims that cutting the service could see:

l the end of local music groups such as Fife Youth Orchestra, Fife Concert Band and the Kingdom Fiddlers.

l the demise of Fife Festival of Music, as there will be far fewer teachers and pupils encouraged to take up music.

On the Facebook site, Louise Allardice said: "I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for the 10 years of musical tuition I received.

''It got me into university because, despite me not receiving the grades they asked for, I was allowed in on the success of my Advanced Higher Music and musical extra-curricular activities."

Constanze Holze added: "Scary – so incredibly short-sighted."

Dai Tom added: "I hope that Fife Council comes to its senses and realises what value music brings into peoples lives."

Abby Scott, who is studying music at Napier University, added: "Without the tuition and support of my old instructors I would not be studying music today."

And one of the leading ambassadors of the campaign says it is ironic that the local authority is splashing out £2m on its Year of Culture celebrations while cutting the opportunity for youngsters to become involved in music.

Mark Robertson (18), from Kirkcaldy, who is waiting to start a place at a prestigious music conservatoire in September said he was "horrified" by the proposals.

"I have been right through the service in the last seven years,'' he said. "It was a tremendous experience which gave me a lot of confidence and transformed my life.

"To cut this service would be a disaster and would take away a lot of what helps make Fife special. You only have to look at the number of pupils who have gone on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and Drama as well as orchestras around the world to see how true that is."

The group is now planning a huge musical protest outside Fife Council's Glenrothes headquarters.

Councillor Douglas Chapman, chairman of the Council's education commitee, said: "I can fully understand people's dismay and anger at this cut.

"It may be slight consolation to know that every councillor is very upset at even having to look at this area to find savings, however we live in unprecedented economic times and like every council the length and breadth of Scotland, we are having to consider cuts in services that a few years ago would have been unthinkable."