Our Awards
Annual Awards: Poppy’s story
I first heard Nicola Benedetti play when I was four or five, and immediately wanted to play the violin just like her. AYM’s funding came at a really crucial time…
Read moreThrough the Awards Programme, we support more than 200 young instrumentalists, songwriters, composers and producers each year, with funding and other help to develop their musical potential.
The biggest obstacle for many talented young musicians is a simple lack of money. They have the talent, they have the drive, but developing their musical potential can be an expensive endeavour.
At AYM, we’re here to change that. We offer up to £100,000 in grants each year to exceptional young musicians whose families are on a lower income. We provide flexible funding towards musical costs (like tuition, instrument costs or travel) plus individual support to cater to personal circumstances. This could be anything from mentoring and workshops with professional musicians, the chance to observe them perform, free tickets to concerts and performance opportunities.
Our Awards programme is both inclusive and means-tested, allowing young people to get the right level of support based on their own circumstances. Our key criteria are musical talent and financial need, meaning whatever genre the musician plays, they can prove their eligibility without having to have taken formal exams.
Our main Awards are called Robert Lewin Scholarships. These Awards are named after the man upon whose legacy AYM was founded back in 1998. We also offer a number of special named Awards each year which are funded by private individuals or in partnership with other trusts and organisations.
15-year-old Bridget lives in rural Northumberland. Every Saturday, she has to travel for over six hours to violin lessons. Ensemble…
Read More16 year old Noah from Surrey began playing the French horn when he was 7 years old. As he says:…
Read More15 year old Sophia has been through many changes on her musical journey over the past few years. As well…
Read MoreThis week (Tuesday 30 November – Tuesday 7 December) we’re taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge. Through the week, we’re going…
Read MoreTwelve year old Erin started playing violin when she was just six. In 2019 she and her family moved back…
Read MoreDuring Remember A Charity Week (6 – 12 September 2021), we’ve been sharing the stories of our Named Awards. When you attach your name or the name…
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