Primary Hub

April 2010

Union Chapel

Feb 2010

Highbury Grove

Rehearsal

Feb 2010

May 2009

Highbury Quadrant

Music First

Concerts

Links to our sponsors:

•www.brewershall.co.uk
•www.islington.camb-ed.com
•www.islington.gov.uk

“Music First” is a new and exciting project inspired by the internationally famous El Sistema music and social transformation programme which began thirty years ago in Venezuela. El Sistema seeks to provide training in orchestral playing for children from the poorest backgrounds in the “Barrio” shanty towns which surround most of the large cities in the country. Over 300,000 children now participate in the project playing a full range of instruments in numerous child and youth orchestras.

The most senior of these is the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra which has, under the inspirational leadership of its charismatic and dynamic young conductor Gustavo Dudamel, performed to huge acclaim across the world including a triumphant appearance at the Proms concerts in London last year and a forthcoming residency at the South Bank Centre.

Building on these principles and with their full support and encouragement we started the “Music First” project in the London Borough of Islington. At the moment activities include over 150 children involved in a music academy at Highbury Grove Secondary School and over 120 children of primary age who have just started learning in a group string teaching programme at three schools within the same community. Since September 2008 a music programme has been running once a week after school involving 50 students from five local secondary schools who come together to form a choir, jazz orchestra, percussion and string groups.

As a launch for “Music First” these students joined with 200 others from Dame Alice Owen’s School and 30 from Aldenham School to present a gala concert at the Barbican on May 4th 2009 which was generously funded by the Dame Alice Owen Foundation and the Worshipful Company of Brewers. We were joined for this event by internationally renowned artists including the beatbox vocal artist Shlomo and the jazz guitarist John Etheridge. Virtually all the music which brings together classical and jazz styles was especially composed for the occasion.

Through music and their playing together in orchestras our vision is to transform young people’s lives, building confidence and raising self esteem. We are seeking to raise funds to continue, grow and expand the provision for them and their families over time, which will in turn help strengthen communities and provide life changing skills and experiences. In due course we expect this initiative to roll out across London and to spread to other areas of the country. We also want to keep in close contact with other organisations developing similar programmes such as “In Harmony” and “Sistema Scotland/Big Noise”.