UK charity Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) has pledged to raise £60,000 for young musicians in the Big Give Christmas Challenge.
The money raised will fund the charity's programme, which gives young musicians from low-income families funding towards instruments, music lessons and transport to lessons and performances.
If successful, the charity will provide individual awards to 220 young people in 2019, giving them access to a host of musical opportunities they would never otherwise benefit from, and enhancing their musical skills through new music-making with top professionals.
The challenge is the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign, which doubles donations made via the Big Give website from 27 November until 4 December.
Commenting on the impact of the funding, AYM says on the donation page: 'We would expect these young musicians to continue to achieve great musical success. BBC Young Musician 2014 was won by Martin Bartlett, supported by us for 10 years, whilst two thirds of the 2016 BBC Young Musician concerto finalists were AYM supported.'
It adds: 'Our awards programme helps children and young people (aged five to 17 years) making music in any genre and who show exceptional musical talent, and whose families are on low incomes (applications are strictly means tested) to become the very best musicians they can be.
'The average gross annual family income of the young musicians we currently support is just £20,000. Families are often facing other challenges beyond financial disadvantage too, ranging from rural isolation to being child carers.'
To donate to the campaign, visit www.secure.thebiggive.org.uk/project/supportaym.
The money raised will fund the charity's programme, which gives young musicians from low-income families funding towards instruments, music lessons and transport to lessons and performances.
If successful, the charity will provide individual awards to 220 young people in 2019, giving them access to a host of musical opportunities they would never otherwise benefit from, and enhancing their musical skills through new music-making with top professionals.
The challenge is the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign, which doubles donations made via the Big Give website from 27 November until 4 December.
Commenting on the impact of the funding, AYM says on the donation page: 'We would expect these young musicians to continue to achieve great musical success. BBC Young Musician 2014 was won by Martin Bartlett, supported by us for 10 years, whilst two thirds of the 2016 BBC Young Musician concerto finalists were AYM supported.'
It adds: 'Our awards programme helps children and young people (aged five to 17 years) making music in any genre and who show exceptional musical talent, and whose families are on low incomes (applications are strictly means tested) to become the very best musicians they can be.
'The average gross annual family income of the young musicians we currently support is just £20,000. Families are often facing other challenges beyond financial disadvantage too, ranging from rural isolation to being child carers.'
To donate to the campaign, visit www.secure.thebiggive.org.uk/project/supportaym.
