Making Music receives major donation to support youth engagement work

Making Music is honoured to receive a £140,000 legacy donation from the late Pauline Thompson OBE. The generous gift will be used to support Making Music’s work in encouraging the integration of young people into amateur music groups.

The 15-35 age range has been identified as having the lowest number of amateur music makers. With this funding, Making Music plans to stimulate demand for amateur music making among young people and encourage choirs to extend their repertoires to attract younger members.

Making Music is thrilled to be entrusted with this donation. In the past a lack of resources has limited our ability to develop in-depth research and activity tools, which could lead to greater integration of young people with adult amateur music groups. With this legacy, we will be able to really make a difference.

Barbara Eifler, Executive Director of Making Music

The future of music making across the UK depends on the enthusiasm and talent of young people. This wonderful legacy from Pauline Thompson will enable Making Music to play a full part in nurturing and developing that talent.

Peter Lawson, Chair of Making Music

The fund enables the introduction of a Making Music Young People Coordinator, who will be appointed on a three year, part-time basis. This role focus on brokering closer relationships between Making Music members and music education hubs, engaging with youth-focused awards programmes and creating toolkits and resources to ensure the project’s longer term success.

In addition, Making Music will commission a songbook for adult and children’s voices, which will not only benefit choirs but also stand as a lasting tribute to Pauline — herself an avid singer and supporter of Making Music.

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For more information contact George Acock, Publications.

Making Music, 8 Holyrood Street, London, SE1 2EL.

020 7939 6030

info@makingmusic.org.uk

www.makingmusic.org.uk

Making Music, The National Federation of Music Societies

A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales no. 308632

Registered Charity in England and Wales no. 249219 and in Scotland no. SC038849

Notes to editors:

Pauline Thompson

Pauline Thompson OBE sadly passed away on 13th January 2014. A founding member of the Elder Law Journal’s editorial board and a long-standing campaigner for the rights of older people (among many others), Pauline was also a passionate amateur singer who belonged to the Psallite Women's Choir and the Anton Bruckner Choir. She was awarded the OBE for her services to the elderly in 2012. Upon being diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2011 Pauline approached Making Music about creating a legacy fund. Her sister and nephew, executors of her will, presented Making Music with a cheque for the donation in November.

Making Music

Since 1935, Making Music has been the membership organisation for voluntary music in the UK, bringing together musicians and music groups of all genres and abilities.

We support, connect and champion everyone who makes, performs and presents music on a voluntary basis. The services we provide allow our members – ranging from symphony orchestras to samba bands – to cross the boring things off their ‘to-do’ lists and get on with making music.

As the voice of voluntary music among policy makers and stakeholders at a national and regional level, we aim to transform lives and enrich communities across the UK through music making.

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