Children from low income families don’t have the same musical opportunities as privileged children. Low income children are half as likely to be learning an instrument as higher income children. If they do learn, they’re more likely to be self-taught so miss out on the benefits of expert music teaching. They’ll also be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which will strain family finances. In short, talented young musicians can’t reach their musical potential if their family can’t afford it.

Through our Awards programme, young musicians receive a bespoke portfolio of support including funding and access to inspirational musical opportunities. Our key criteria are talent and financial need - in 2019, the average gross annual income of successful applicants was £17,700, clearly evidencing families’ need for our help. The funding is kept as flexible as possible allowing young musicians to apply for a wide range of costs such as travel, tuition, and instrument purchase.