The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust | |
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Formation | 25 October 1982 |
---|---|
Legal status | Limited company, Registered charity |
Purpose | Extra-curricular music education |
Headquarters | Reading |
Region served | Berkshire |
Membership | Private |
Jon Carroll | |
Dawn Wren | |
Main organ | Board of trustees |
Staff | ~260 |
Website |
berksmusictrust |
Formerly called | Berkshire Maestros |
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (trading as Berkshire Music Trust) is a music education charity operating in Berkshire, United Kingdom. [1]
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (BYMT) was founded in 1982. Between 2006 and 2023 it traded as Berkshire Maestros, [2] after which it was rebranded the Berkshire Music Trust. [3]
The charity's aim is to bring music to a wider audience, and encourage children to play a musical instrument, sing, or play music in a group with others. [4]
The charity teaches over 6,000 children in schools, bands, orchestras and choirs, and has centres in Bracknell, Newbury, Windsor, Reading and Wokingham. [5] Tuition covers a wide range of instruments, including vocals, guitar, keyboard, percussion, brass, strings and woodwind in a range of styles, and composition. [6]
Following the renaming ceremony coinciding with 40th birthday celebrations in the summer of 2023, Berkshire Music Trust adopted a new strap-line, "Making Music for Everyone", signalling their intent to expand their offerings to all ages in the Berkshire community, building upon their Parkinson's Sing-along Cafe and Dementia Sing-along Cafe. [7]
In 2024, Berkshire Music Trust was awarded new generation Music Hub status by Arts Council England. [8]
In 2007, the charity's choir appeared at the BBC Proms, [9] and alongside Southbank Sinfonia at the Windsor Festival. [10] In 2014, the organisation was awarded a grant from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. [11] On 1 May 2016, around 1,500 of the Berkshire Maestros students performed a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Primary school choirs from West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead performed songs from musicals such as Mamma Mia!, Oliver! and The Jungle Book. [12]
On 19 October 2018, the Bracknell concert band played to Elizabeth II at The Lexicon, Bracknell. [13] In 2023, the charity's county choir and string ensemble played at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle culminating in a performance of Zadok the Priest. [14]
In 2024, Bracknell, Windsor, Newbury and Reading Senior Wind Bands united to form the Berkshire County Massed Wind Bands, to perform Brian Balmages' Rapture at the Anvil Theatre in Basingstoke.[ citation needed]
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust | |
![]() | |
Formation | 25 October 1982 |
---|---|
Legal status | Limited company, Registered charity |
Purpose | Extra-curricular music education |
Headquarters | Reading |
Region served | Berkshire |
Membership | Private |
Jon Carroll | |
Dawn Wren | |
Main organ | Board of trustees |
Staff | ~260 |
Website |
berksmusictrust |
Formerly called | Berkshire Maestros |
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (trading as Berkshire Music Trust) is a music education charity operating in Berkshire, United Kingdom. [1]
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (BYMT) was founded in 1982. Between 2006 and 2023 it traded as Berkshire Maestros, [2] after which it was rebranded the Berkshire Music Trust. [3]
The charity's aim is to bring music to a wider audience, and encourage children to play a musical instrument, sing, or play music in a group with others. [4]
The charity teaches over 6,000 children in schools, bands, orchestras and choirs, and has centres in Bracknell, Newbury, Windsor, Reading and Wokingham. [5] Tuition covers a wide range of instruments, including vocals, guitar, keyboard, percussion, brass, strings and woodwind in a range of styles, and composition. [6]
Following the renaming ceremony coinciding with 40th birthday celebrations in the summer of 2023, Berkshire Music Trust adopted a new strap-line, "Making Music for Everyone", signalling their intent to expand their offerings to all ages in the Berkshire community, building upon their Parkinson's Sing-along Cafe and Dementia Sing-along Cafe. [7]
In 2024, Berkshire Music Trust was awarded new generation Music Hub status by Arts Council England. [8]
In 2007, the charity's choir appeared at the BBC Proms, [9] and alongside Southbank Sinfonia at the Windsor Festival. [10] In 2014, the organisation was awarded a grant from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. [11] On 1 May 2016, around 1,500 of the Berkshire Maestros students performed a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Primary school choirs from West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead performed songs from musicals such as Mamma Mia!, Oliver! and The Jungle Book. [12]
On 19 October 2018, the Bracknell concert band played to Elizabeth II at The Lexicon, Bracknell. [13] In 2023, the charity's county choir and string ensemble played at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle culminating in a performance of Zadok the Priest. [14]
In 2024, Bracknell, Windsor, Newbury and Reading Senior Wind Bands united to form the Berkshire County Massed Wind Bands, to perform Brian Balmages' Rapture at the Anvil Theatre in Basingstoke.[ citation needed]