Disadvantaged children score musical success

Seventy disadvantaged London children were today awarded music scholarships under a £1.2 million scheme that aims to nurture talent.

The £420,000 scholarship programme will give the gifted youngsters four years of music tuition, a personal mentor, and opportunities to perform at and attend concerts.

At least two children, aged seven to 12, were selected from each borough for the scholarships, awarded at a City Hall ceremony. They are part of the £1.2 million Mayor’s Music Fund.

Boris Johnson said: “Not every child can afford an instrument or the lessons they need to make real progress as musicians, and the fund is doing vital work to help hundreds of gifted youngsters towards realising their ambitions and achieve their full potential.”

The fund is also awarding grants to support music projects involving over 8,000 young people aged eight to 18, with collaborators as diverse as the Royal College of Music and Bollywood Brass Band.

James Lynch, 12, of Haydon School in Hillingdon, was previously awarded one of the scholarships and has just achieved a distinction in his grade six violin exam.

He said the scholarship had given him “more opportunities to improve” and play, adding: “It has given me great confidence.”