LMF at 10: our 10th Anniversary Gala concert at the Southbank Centre
On Wednesday 23 February 2022 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, we were thrilled to host a spectacular showcase of young musicians supported by the London Music Fund over the last decade. Hosted by LMF Ambassador, Saxophonist and Broadcaster YolanDa Brown, the concert featured Scholars past and present and a variety of musical projects supported by the charity. The programme included a new arrangement of ‘A Celebration’ by Oscar-winning composer, Rachel Portman OBE, originally commissioned by the charity for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant. Our Patron, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, attended and gave a speech highlighting the importance of music education. The event was sponsored by Allianz Global Investors and Classic FM.
We were delighted to showcase two ensembles which are ongoing legacies of projects funded through our Partnerships programme: Hackney’s Classical Meets Jazz ensemble, and the Animate Orchestra. We were also thrilled to feature South London Samba, one of the organisations to benefit from our Amplify London funding programme in collaboration with YouTube Music. The programme also included performances from our newest LMF Scholars who created a brand new piece that very day, our specially-formed LMF Wind Ensemble, and the remarkable Ignacy Stefanowicz, former LMF Scholar, who is now studying violin at the Yehudi Menuhin School.
The New Scholars’ Ensemble
The concert was opened by our newest Scholars, children who received their LMF awards in September 2021. During a workshop with Lincoln Abbotts and musicians from ABRSM during the afternoon they had created a brand new piece, ‘TEN’. Their performance was met with well-deserved rapturous applause from a full Queen Elizabeth Hall audience!
“Learning music should be a right, not a privilege”
LMF Patron and London Mayor Sadiq Khan gave a speech during the concert, and said: “Music has a remarkable power to bring people together, broaden horizons, and even change lives. That’s why it’s so vital that all young Londoners have the opportunity to access musical education.”
The LMF Wind Ensemble
Created specially for this event, the Wind Ensemble brought together some of our most advanced current and former Scholars, several of whom are now at music schools and conservatoires. Led by LMF Ambassador, clarinettist Julian Bliss, they wowed the audience with their performances of ‘Summertime’ and ‘Clog Dance’.
The Celebration Ensemble
The concert was brought to a close by our Celebration Ensemble, an orchestra made up of current and former LMF Scholars, spanning all cohorts and representing every London borough. Led marvellously by 17-year-old Rejus Jakas, who was a 2013-17 Scholar from Barking & Dagenham, the ensemble performed Rachel Portman’s piece ‘A Celebration’ under the baton of conductor Leon Bosch. It was the perfect end to an incredible evening!
The concert was an incredibly special way to mark our 10th anniversary and we were incredibly proud. Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen, and to everyone who came along!
Thanks to Paul Cochrane for these lovely photos!