Saxophones are definitely the instrument of the month this September. Not just at our saxophone evening with Gerard McChrystal and William Godfree on the 30th – but at the delightful concert we hosted on the 11th with Young Sounds.
If you have not yet booked for Good Evening Mr Sax 30th September, go here for all details and to book.
Meanwhile here is Kassa Green-Jakcsi on the saxophone accompanied by Diarra Walcott-Ivanhoe on keyboard at the Young Sounds concert last Friday.
Kassa is a member of the Young Sounds Thrive programme and has just transferred from the Guildhall School of Music to the Royal Academy’s jazz course. He returned to play for the concert last week along with fellow GSMD graduate Diarra.
So – what is Young Sounds?
Young Sounds is a charity that funds instruments, lessons and transport for talented young people who would otherwise, for social or financial reasons, be unable to access them. Started in 1998 as the Musicas Fund, the charity was funded by the sale of musical-instrument-expert Bob Lewin‘s collection of bows, books and fiddles. Rechristened Young Sounds and still under the guidance of Bob’s nephew, Michael, and with a wealth of eminent patrons, the charity has flourished.
Apart from supplying instruments and lessons its support for young musicians includes workshops, careers advice, mentoring and creative projects. Support is accessed via their Connect and Thrive programmes.
The Connect programme uses a network of local musicians to assess each young applicant and then find appropriate opportunities to allow them to develop.
The Thrive programme supports instrumentalists, singers, songwriters, composers and producers who have been learning for at least a year with funding and other help to develop their musical potential. Applicants need only to be in financial need and have musical commitment and can apply without taking any formal exams.
In each case they only need to fill in a simple on line form.
A further really interesting Discover programme helps teachers to identify children with talent and potential, especially in whole class or larger group settings. The programme offers in-person training and a series of on line resources. These identify ‘facets of musical potential’ – types of behaviour which would suggest that a specific child has musical potential which might not otherwise be recognised: enjoyment, active listening, absorption in the music, inclination to explore etc. Having identified likely children teachers can then refer them on to the Connect programme through which they can be assessed by a professional musician.
Do take a look at the Young Sounds site for a more in depth understanding of what they do – or to support them. Just £5 a month will help a young musician travel to and from their lesson; a more generous donation will, of course, enable much more!
Meanwhile here is another Young Sounds Thrive student, Matias Yung, playing part of Cassado’s Suite for Solo Cello.
Other delights in store…..
If you are free tomorrow night (Saturday 19th), Lute song ensemble Dowland’s Foundry will be ‘explore the murky world of Elizabeth I’s court’ through the music of England’s greatest lutenist composer John Dowland who died 400 years ago this year.
The concert, Signs and Secrets, happens at St James’ Church Prebend Street in Islington and is part of the Islington Proms festival which actually ends this weekend.
You can book tickets here.
To book for the rest of Salon Music’s autumn programme, see our Upcoming Events page.
Addendum:
You may remember that back in June I was blaming our rather thin summer programme on my enforced attendance at the Royal Free Hospital for radiotherapy for a bout of bowel cancer.
So many of you kindly sent good wishes and have subsequently made enquiries about my health that I thought I would tell you that I have now been sent packing by the Royal Free with an entirely clean bill of health! Since radiotherapy is loathe to leave those that it has treated, I can expect its side effects to remain with me for a few more months, but a small price to pay for such speedy and efficient treatment.
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