Who We Help
We help young people from the least privileged backgrounds in society, where the wealth and income resources available within their family are limited and the musical opportunities available to them are restricted. We particularly welcome applications from individuals within single parent families.
Our funding awards are targeted at individuals who will be aged 14 to 18 at the time the activity will take place, although in exceptional cases we can offer support to individuals who will be aged 13 or 19.
Our awards are not targeted at beneficiaries with proven outstanding musical talent or ability. We welcome applications on behalf of those who have already demonstrated great promise of course, but just as much from those who may have only comparatively recently begun the journey of personal musical discovery. The key question for us is: “How much difference would our award make to generating for this individual a lifelong love of making music and allowing them to realize their dreams?”
"I went on from the Four Counties Youth Orchestra to play in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and in two weeks' time I will be joining the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama! Thank you once again for this hugely important funding without which I would not have been able to progress as I now have"
Awards are restricted to those who play instruments and we are unable to assist those who wish to develop their singing or vocal skills. We expect a beneficiary to have reached at least ABRSM Grade 4 or equivalent standard in their chosen instrument, and the majority of awards so far have gone to individuals at or close to Grade 8 standard. We need to be confident that they have a commitment to learning, and that they will benefit substantially from the activity identified in the application.
Awards are provided for attendance at specific events. Although that may in appropriate cases be extended to two or more linked events, we do not assist with the costs of having regular lessons or tuition. Nor do we assist with costs associated with being awarded a place at a private educational institution such as boarding school, sixth form or college.
"I am writing to thank you for giving me the wonderful opportunity to take part in the WYBB summer course at Alston Hall. This helped to develop both my own playing and my contribution to ensemble playing. Our guest conductor, Richard Evans, particularly inspired me with his flamboyant approach to conducting."
The beneficiary must be normally resident within England or Wales. To date moreover, all awards have been associated with activities taking place within England and Wales. We are not prevented from making awards to support activities taking place in Scotland, Ireland or abroad, but such programmes, for instance international summer schools held in Europe or North America, typically involve much larger sums than we can afford.
Any beneficiary must already have received a provisional or definite offer of a place for the activity before an application for financial support is submitted.
"The guest soloist was Sgt Amy McCabe who is the trumpet soloist of the United States Marine Band and she was very inspirational. The final concert - at Regent Hall, London - was an amazing and breathtaking experience. At the start I just had to close my eyes for a few seconds and take a deep breath as I said 'Wow!' to myself. I would like you to know that your scholarship helped me immensely."
Where the activity is residential and the beneficiary is particularly young or inexperienced, we are also willing to pay up to 50% of the costs of attendance at the activity for a friend or relative who is willing to accompany them throughout, whether or not that person is musically inclined. However, where there are two or more friends or relatives wishing to take part in the same activity who all meet the key criteria of age and circumstances (hardship), each may apply for up to 100% of their costs using separate applications. In this case of course, they should not also apply for the additional funding for accompanying the other/s.
For further information about the sorts of activities we help with, and how we make payments click here.
More information about making an application is available here.
