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Berkshire Music Trust

(Redirected from Berkshire Maestros)

The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (trading as Berkshire Music Trust) is a music education charity operating in Berkshire, United Kingdom.[1]

Berkshire Music Trust
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust
Formation25 October 1982; 41 years ago (1982-10-25)
Legal statusLimited company, Registered charity
PurposeExtra-curricular music education
HeadquartersReading
Region served
Berkshire
Membership
Private
Jon Carroll
Dawn Wren
Main organ
Board of trustees
Staff
~260
Websiteberksmusictrust.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata
Formerly called
Berkshire Maestros

History edit

The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust (BYMT) was founded in 1982. Between 2006 and 2023 it traded as Berkshire Maestros,[2] after which it was rebranded the Berkshire Music Trust.[3]

Description edit

The charity's aim is to bring music to a wider audience, and encourage children to play a musical instrument, sing, or play music in a group with others.[4]

The charity teaches over 6,000 children in schools, bands, orchestras and choirs, and has centres in Bracknell, Newbury, Windsor, Reading and Wokingham.[5] Tuition covers a wide range of instruments, including vocals, guitar, keyboard, percussion, brass, strings and woodwind in a range of styles, and composition.[6]

Following the renaming ceremony coinciding with 40th birthday celebrations in the summer of 2023, Berkshire Music Trust adopted a new strap-line, "Making Music for Everyone", signalling their intent to expand their offerings to all ages in the Berkshire community, building upon their Parkinson's Sing-along Cafe and Dementia Sing-along Cafe.[7]

Recognition edit

In 2024, Berkshire Music Trust was awarded new generation Music Hub status by Arts Council England.[8]

Events edit

In 2007, the charity's choir appeared at the BBC Proms,[9] and alongside Southbank Sinfonia at the Windsor Festival.[10] In 2014, the organisation was awarded a grant from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation.[11] On 1 May 2016, around 1,500 of the Berkshire Maestros students performed a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Primary school choirs from West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead performed songs from musicals such as Mamma Mia!, Oliver! and The Jungle Book.[12]

On 19 October 2018, the Bracknell concert band played to Elizabeth II at The Lexicon, Bracknell.[13] In 2023, the charity's county choir and string ensemble played at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle culminating in a performance of Zadok the Priest.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust, registered charity no. 284555". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. ^ "Berkshire Maestros - The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust". wokingham.gov.uk. Wokingham Borough Council. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  3. ^ Lee, Trish (19 July 2023). "New name for Berkshire Maestros revealed at garden party". newburytoday.co.uk. Newbury Today. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  4. ^ Perrin, Isabella (13 November 2019). "Berkshire Maestros fundraises to bring music to toddlers and babies". bracknellnews.co.uk. Bracknell News. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Where to find us". berksmusictrust.org.uk. Berkshire Music Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Berkshire Maestros". sloughfamilyservices.org.uk. Slough Borough Council. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Events outside Reading". whatsonreading.com. Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  8. ^ https://rdg.today/berkshire-music-trust-appointed-to-lead-berkshire-music-hub/
  9. ^ "Prom 57". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Berkshire Maestros". windsorfestival.com. Windsor Festival. 30 September 2007. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2009.
  11. ^ "Berkshire Maestros". andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com. Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  12. ^ Fisher, Megan (6 May 2016). "More than a thousand Berkshire Maestros children perform at the Royal Albert Hall". getreading.co.uk. Berkshire Live. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  13. ^ Fort, Hugh (19 October 2018). "The Queen visits The Bracknell Lexicon". inyourarea.co.uk. In Your Area. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  14. ^ Creighton, Phil (9 October 2023). "Young musicians raise the roof for festival concert in Windsor Castle". wokingham.today. Wokingham Today. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

External links edit

 

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