“I am a passionate record collector and can’t imagine my life now without playing my instruments!”

“I was very down after my illness and music helped my recovery more than anything else. I am a passionate record collector and can’t imagine my life now without playing my instruments!”

For fourteen year old Alice, music was what got her through a very tough year.

“Last year I had to have a big operation on my heart and afterwards I got very ill. I had two cardiac arrests from which I had to be resuscitated. It took me a long time to recover and while I was at home I started to teach myself the bass guitar. I’m a massive Beatles fan and learned every Beatles song I could!

“This year I moved to double bass so I could play Rockabilly music like Elvis and Bill Haley as well as learn some classical music. After a few lessons with my teacher Geth, he suggested I audition for the Junior Royal Northern College of Music. I was offered a place and Awards for Young Musicians are helping me pay for the fees.

“Although I still love rock and roll, I also now love Jazz and classical music. Covid has meant I haven’t been able to play in an orchestra yet but I have entertained people on the street as part of a jazz duo and I am loving all the new experiences I am having at the Royal Northern.”

Thanks goes to all our donors who enabled us to grant more than £100,000 in Awards to talented young musicians this year.