Mayor’s Music Fund announces new scholars and partnership projects
12th October 2015
The Mayor’s Music Fund has unveiled its latest scholarships and its planned partnership projects for 2015/16.
During an event at London’s City Hall last week, 32 primary school children were announced as the latest group of Mayor’s Music Scholars.
The winners were invited to receive their awards by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and saxophonist and composer YolanDa Brown, a Mayor’s Music Fund ambassador.
Over the next four years, they will take part in two hours of music-making and other developmental activities every week as well as attending concerts and working with a personal mentor.
The charity also announced six new Music Partnership Projects for the 2015/16 academic year involving organisations such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, The Jazz Warriors International and Musiko Musika.
Ginny Greenwood, chief executive of the Mayor’s Music Fund, said: “I was delighted to welcome the fifth cohort of Mayor’s Music Scholars to City Hall and to congratulate them on their four-year award.
“Everyone at the Mayor’s Music Fund is excited to see the scholars progress not only in their playing, but also across their wider education and social development.”
YolanDa Brown said: “It’s great to see how the fund helps young musicians follow their dream of learning an instrument and to see how they grow and develop with their instrument.
“The scholarship has a positive effect on so many areas of their life, not just music. I believe it is important to have access to creating music and it is wonderful to be involved with this much-needed initiative.”
The Mayor’s Music Fund provides four-year scholarships to primary school children across the 32 London boroughs and currently supports 217 children in the capital.
The charity also funds collaborations between music hubs and arts organsiations to create opportunities for young people to work alongside professional musicians.
The 2015/16 projects will involve 800 young people and reach a further 4,700 through free public performances.
Read more on the Music Teacher magazine website
