March Graduate of the Month
Sammuel from Redbridge was one of our 2013-17 Scholars. He was nominated for a Scholarship at the age of nine, after taking up the trumpet and showing great potential and enthusiasm in Brass Club at his primary school.
Sammuel began his Scholarship as a trumpeter, and over the course of his four years he also took up the French Horn and Tenor Horn! He made amazing progress on all three instruments, passing his Grade 6 Trumpet with distinction in 2017.
We welcomed Sammuel back as a Graduate Leader for our 2019 Wind, Brass & Percussion Playing Day.
He guided younger Scholars and performed a solo with LMF Ambassador Julian Bliss in our informal concert.
Sammuel is now 17. He plays Principle Horn in the Redbridge Music Service Orchestra and Principle Soprano Trumpet in Brass Band, and he conducts his school wind band.
We are delighted that Sammuel is pursuing a career as a musician, and recently gained a place to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with part scholarship. He will be starting there in September.
Huge congratulations to Sammuel - this is an amazing achievement. We are very proud to have supported you early on in your musical journey!
We asked Sammuel a few questions…
Tell us a bit about being a LMF Scholar - what was it like for you?
Oh, it was amazing - a really fun time and lots of opportunities that I could participate in. One of my favourite moments was getting to perform with Julian Bliss, that was amazing.
What impact has music had on your life?
I started playing in year 2 and it’s been in my life ever since, to this day.
Did being a LMF Scholar affect your attitude to learning music?
Yes - without the Scholarship I wouldn’t have got to Grade 8 French Horn. My confidence has also grown, I used to be very scared to play in front of my peers but that has changed drastically now.
“[My children] are both pursuing music careers and I feel that it is all due to the help of the London Music fund which inspired them to go as far as they are now.”
Sammuel’s mother