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Youth music project gets funding

Posted: Wed, 08 Apr 2009

An innovative partnership between Reading Borough Council, Readipop, Berkshire Maestros, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Whitley Excellence Cluster has been awarded a grant of £30,000 from Youth Music to run ‘Classical Soundclash’ – an exciting project which will involve young orchestral and young urban musicians from Reading, creating a new composition for performance at The Hexagon in November 2009.

Georgie Goddard, Regional Executive Officer for Youth Music presented the cheque to the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Peter Beard in advance of a prestigious performance given by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stephen Bell at The Hexagon, Reading on Thursday (26 March).

The presentation was followed by an entertaining short live foyer performance by students from Reading’s Blessed Hugh Faringdon School who are one of the Reading secondary schools taking part in the project. All participants will work closely with musicians and tutors from Readipop, Berkshire Maestros and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Readipop created the Urban Orchestra in 2006 with the help of pupils and teachers from Highdown and Blessed Hugh Faringdon schools and the John Madejski Academy, as well as young musicians from Berkshire Maestros and Reading’s most open-minded young urban MCs. Together, they composed a new urban symphony “Any Given Saturday” and performed it to an enthusiastic audience at the Hexagon, Reading in November 2006. ‘ Classical Soundclash’ builds on this success.

The new association with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is made possible by the orchestra’s residency at The Hexagon for the annual ‘Classical Music Alive in Reading’ International Performance Season 2008/09. The residency sees them perform three concerts, culminating in a stunning all-Prokofiev programme conducted by the Orchestra’s new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Charles Dutoit (2 May) .

Commenting on the initiative, Graeme Hoskin Lead Councillor Culture and Sport at Reading Borough Council said: “ This really is a superb project and I'd like to congratulate all the groups who have come together to make it possible. This is a great opportunity for the young people taking part and I'm sure it will be hugely rewarding for them. I'm really looking forward to listening to the new composition from this that will be performed in November".

Michelle James, Director of External Relations at Youth Music adds:

“We are thrilled to be able to support this exciting initiative and build on the success of the Urban Orchestra, which we were privileged to sponsor three years ago. It is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Reading to collaborate with classical musicians of the highest calibre, while also enabling them to explore their own musical talents. ‘Classical Soundclash’ offers many children who may not otherwise have the chance, access to great quality music making in their area as well as fulfilling a once in a lifetime opportunity. We would like to congratulate all the delivering partners who have made this possible.”

Youth Music is the UK’s largest children’s music charity, set up in 1999 to promote music making opportunities and to provide advice to children from birth -18 with the least access, including some of the UK’s most disadvantaged young people. The charity works alongside the formal and community-based sectors to support music making and training.