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Dear Jon
Welcome to the June edition of our AYM e-news. We hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well.
As you''ll read below we''ve had a very busy couple of months exploring and implementing new ways of supporting our young musicians across our Awards and Furthering Talent programmes.
We saw record numbers of applications to our 2020 Awards programme and will be writing to all who applied with the outcome of their appeal in early July.
Read on for videos, stories, job opportunities and other resources.
We hope you''ll enjoy this rich newsletter.
With all best wishes
Hester Cockcroft
Chief Executive
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Making music during lockdown: meet Raymi
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Meet Raymi (10) from London. He''s a multi-instrumentalist and a 2019 AYM Award winner (we''ve been supporting his piano lessons). Raymi responded to a creative challenge we put out to our Award winners: to record a video showing how they''ve been making music during the lockdown and to share something of how they are navigating this difficult time.
"During lockdown I''ve been practising music with my parents. Music is making me feel better because I usually feel very anxious and nervous. When I think about my friends I really miss them. At least I have an activity which will remind me of them because most of my friends play music. And I get to see my friends virtually too, so that is an upside of lockdown." Raymi
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Facebook
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Twitter
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Instagram
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YouTube
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Website
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Presto campaign: donations can still be doubled
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We have had a very positive response to our match-funding Presto! campaign, supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation; however we have some way to go to raise our target of ?20,000. Donors signing up to give on a monthly basis can still see their donations doubled for a year. So there''s never been a better time to join our community of AYM Champions and AYM Angels by giving monthly.
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We''ll be announcing ?100,000 worth of individual Awards. Ranging from ?100 to ?2,000, the Awards will go to young musicians from across the UK demonstrating exceptional musical potential in their chosen genre as well as financial need.
We received the highest ever number of applications this year, 391, from all across the UK. Requests for funding included paying for music tuition and buying instruments, purchasing recording equipment and software and covering the costs of travel to music activities.
If you applied for a 2020 Award you will hear from our Awards team via email with the outcome of your application by mid July.
Read more
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Responding to the needs of our young musicians
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The lockdown has affected everyone in different ways. For many of our young musicians it came at a crucial point in their musical journey. For more advanced players, critical exams, auditions and performances were cancelled. For younger musicians, particularly those on our Furthering Talent programme, it came just as their musical journey was gaining momentum. As you''ll read below we''ve been adapting our support to ensure young musicians can continue playing, learning and enjoying music.
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Ensuring access to digital music education
We've been working with our Furthering Talent Local Coordinators to help those young people on the programme who may not have the technology or connectivity to access their lessons this way. Together with our partners and instrumental teacher colleagues we've been coming up with new ideas and creative approaches to ensure equal access for all.
This includes purchasing phone data packages for students without a broadband connection and part-funding broadband connections for others.
Read more
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Keeping the creativity flowing in Brighton
In Brighton Furthering Talent is run across two primary schools. In early March composer James Redwood visited St John the Baptist School (pictured) for their spring Get Together event: a creative workshop composing musical motifs inspired by Donizetti''s L'elisir d'amore (last year the students were taken to Glyndebourne to watch this!).
James had been due to visit Fairlight School the following week; however the schools closed that Friday. As he explains in this video - made for students and parents - this does not mean the end of the project. With support from our Local Coordinator, Natasha, James is working remotely with students to generate musical ideas. He will then draw from both schools'' contributions to write a brand new piece for the two cohorts to perform together in due course.
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Creative collaborations with our Patrons
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Considering the next steps with Professor Derek Aviss
Professor Derek Aviss is a cellist, former Executive Director of Trinity Laban and Former Principal of Trinity College of Music.
During the lockdown he led two online seminars for Award winners aged 16 and over looking at issues/concerns relating to the next few years of their musical journeys. The sessions included a wide range of topics including applying to conservatoire and choosing which one is right for them, conservatoire versus university, managing wellbeing, preparing for auditions, how to develop and sustain a career etc. Derek has also been offering individual phone consultations to young musicians with specific questions and issues on their mind. We will be creating a set of resources from these sessions to share with other young musicians. Watch this space...
"He gave a real insight on musical careers and conservatoire, and important things to consider for the future." Kayla (16)
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Alpesh Chauhan shares all things conducting
Alpesh Chauhan joined our team of AYM Patrons in 2019. During lockdown he''s been chatting with AYM Award winners via Zoom, sharing his musical journey and his experience of building a successful career as a conductor.
In order to share the learning more widely (his insights are fascinating!) we are creating a set of video resources from the filmed webinars. We thought you might also enjoy them. The first two are available now:
1. How do you approach learning new repertoire?
2. What are the qualities of a great conductor?
"My own musical journey started at the age of six when I heard a music teacher playing a cello in a school assembly. I hope that I am able to make a difference to the lives of talented young people across the UK through my work with AYM." Alpesh Chauhan
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Online violin masterclass series with Thomas Gould
Since April, AYM Patron and renowned violinist Thomas Gould has been leading regular Zoom masterclasses with five AYM violinists from across the UK. They've been listening to each other play and getting lots of tips and tricks from Thomas, including insight into the realities of life as a professional violinist.
Read more and watch a short film from these sessions.
"I, like most others, have struggled with the lockdown as many orchestras and groups have been cancelled or postponed. Finding an aim for practice is difficult. I''ve thoroughly enjoyed the fortnightly sessions with violinist Thomas Gould, which have given me great performance opportunity and much inspiration. I don''t know what I''d be doing without them." Kayla (16) |
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Jess Gillam''s scratch orchestra
In March AYM Patron Jess Gillam launched her virtual scratch orchestra. A number of AYM young musicians joined the 930 strong orchestra from all around the world to perform David Bowie''s "Where are we now" with Jess.
She recently released the second performance by the orchestra: "Let it be" by The Beatles.
Also see these posts:
- Jess''s performance in aid of AYM at the HopBarn, Nottinghamshire.
- Jess''s workshop with AYM musicians during her 2019 album launch week.
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Calling past AYM Award winners: could you be our next Trustee?
Children and young people are at the heart of AYM's work and we therefore believe that they must be involved in influencing and informing what we do. A year ago Caius Lee, an Alumnus and Cambridge University music undergraduate from Bradford, joined AYM''s Board as our first Alumni Trustee, We''re now looking to recruit a second to join him.
"My introduction to the Board was like being welcomed to a family where everyone has been tremendously supportive and have patiently guided me on the workings of a successful charity board." Caius Lee
Apply by Monday 29 June.
Read more about the role
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Local Project Producer: launching Furthering Talent in Lewisham
Lewisham Music is one of five new Music Education Hubs to join our Youth Music supported 'Furthering Talent Programme' for 2021-2023.
They''re currently recruiting for a Local Project Producer who will be central to developing the Programme in Lewisham. The Project Producer will manage key aspects of the programme, developing relationships with young people, parents/carers, instrumental tutors, professional musicians, other musical/arts organisations and schools.
Apply by Tuesday 30 June.
Find out more and apply
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We're really proud to support three talented young musicians who have progressed to the category finals of the BBC Young Musician competition this year. 16 year old pianist Thomas Luke won the Keyboard Category Final and will compete in the semi-final, due for broadcast in the autumn. Pianist Jacky Zhang also featured in the Keyboard Category finals. Finally, 18 year old Isaac Harari competed in the Percussion Category Finals.
Read more and watch their stunning performances
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Michael Lewin: a fond farewell to our founder
(but it''s not goodbye!)
After 22 years on AYM''s Board, our founder Michael Lewin has retired from official AYM duties. As many of you will know AYM exists thanks to Michael and his uncle Robert Lewin, upon whose legacy Michael founded the charity in 1998.
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AYM in The Strad
Remembering fine violin collector Robert Lewin.
Robert Lewin wrote The Strad market report for 50 years and was an eminent British collector of String instruments and bows. This week The Strad published a special feature all about him, his legacy and Michael Lewin''s journey to setting up Awards for Young Musicians.
Read the article
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Michael and Gill Lewin will remain firmly at the heart of the AYM family. As our Chairman Philip Jones wrote in Michael''s retirement gift - a photo-book of memories of AYM:
"Michael, look what you''ve started! I hope you feel enormously proud of what AYM has become. I trust we will continue to make you proud in the years to come. This is by no means a goodbye but this is an opportunity to say thank you from us all!" Philip Jones
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Awards for Young Musicians is a registered charity. No. 1070994
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