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Making Music Receives Largest Ever Donation - Award for Young Concert Artists secured for foreseeable future
By Robin Osterley, Chief Executive
In July 2002 Making Music, the National Federation of Music Societies, received the largest single donation in its 65-year history, in the form of a gift of £310,000 from the Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust. The gift will be used to secure for the future the Making Music [link=78]Award for Young Concert Artists[/link] and to set up a new Composer in Residence scheme for Making Music.
Philip Green, born in London in 1911, was a prolific composer of film music and a number of other works, including three masses. In 1933 he was the youngest musical director in the West End of London, and was making recordings for EMI at the ripe old age of 22. His first film score was written shortly after the Second World War, and some 150 others followed thereafter. He was one of the most respected and active musicians in his field at the time.
After his death in 1982 and that of his widow Dorothy in 1995, a substantial sum from their estate was transferred to the Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust, whose objectives were to promote the interests of young artists and composers as well as the music and reputation of Philip Green. In 2001, Making Music made contact with the Trustees and suggested that one or more of our existing schemes could be ideal vehicles to fulfil the objectives of the Trust. At the time, the Trustees were negotiating with a number of different organisations, but our suggestions seemed to fall on fertile ground, and after some lengthy negotiations and discussions, the gift was agreed in March of 2002. Having tied up the legal formalities, the sum was transferred in July 2002.
Gift for the future
The gift is accompanied by a proportion of the annual composer royalties accruing to the Philip and Dorothy Green estate. The income from the gift combined with the royalty income will enable us to run the two projects for the foreseeable future, and as a result the members of the Federation will benefit substantially from the two schemes over time, as well as the young artists and composers directly affected. Making Music Chairman Philip Waite sees this as an historic day in the life of the Federation: 'We are fortunate indeed,' he said, 'that this generous donation has been able to secure the future of the Young Artists Award, one of the most important and beneficial schemes we run. And it is very exciting that we will also be able to set up a new Composer in Residence scheme to benefit emerging composers and help them kick-start their composing careers. We are extremely grateful to the Trustees of the Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust for placing their faith in us in this way. And we should also thank Robert McFarland, former Finance Director of the Federation, for his role in making the initial approaches to the Trustees.'
The Philip and Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists
The [link=78]Award for Young Concert Artists[/link] was created in 1961 as an annual award programme in which outstanding young musicians are offered a series of recitals and concert engagements all over the country. Over the past 40 years it has provided fully-fledged performance opportunities to young professional musicians. It has helped to launch the careers of dozens of artists, many of whom have gone on to achieve national and international success. Through the award we are able to offer the winners the opportunity of valuable performing experience with Making Music member groups (music clubs, choral and orchestral societies) at the start of their professional career.
Sir Thomas Allen, Anne Collins, David Wilson-Johnson, Philip Fowke, Steven Isserlis, John Harle, Mary Plazas and Ian Bostridge are just some of the artists who have benefited from the Award in the early stages of their careers.
Winners of the Award share between them the opportunity to take part in between 40 and 75 bookings with Making Music member groups across the country thereby gaining valuable experience in a range of locations. Each Young Artist receives a fee for an engagement, with the society being able to reclaim nearly half of this from the Award fund. Our previous Young Artist winners have found the experience gained from working in so many different venues and with so many different audiences invaluable.
The Making Music [link=78]Award for Young Concert Artists[/link] is a well established, successful scheme with an excellent track record of supporting emerging talents and giving them a major stepping-stone. In Ian Bostridge's words: 'This is an irreplaceable prize as it offers real experience.'
Making Music is grateful to the Worshipful Company of Musicians, who have supported the Award for the last two years. We are currently discussing with the Company ways in which our very beneficial relationship can continue. For details of the Award, please [link=78]click here[/link].
The Philip and Dorothy Green Composer in Residence Scheme
Making Music member groups have always been active in the commissioning of new music. For example, our recent Membership Survey showed that amateur music groups in membership commission well over 200 new works each year. Many well-established composers rely heavily on amateur organisations for commissions, performances and royalties.
It has long become apparent that the most common problem facing young composers is having commissioned pieces performed more than once. This may be because compositions created for our members are often bespoke and therefore not easily transferable for performance by other similar groups. We therefore think that young composers would benefit substantially from being encouraged and guided to write to a wider audience for amateur performance. This would ensure that their works receive more than one event-specific performance and enter the general repertoire for amateur groups, thus providing greater publicity for their developing careers.
Making Music is to establish a Composer in Residence scheme enabling young composers to be associated with the organisation for a period of a year to 18 months. The main objective is to enable a small number of young composers under the age of 30 to be provided with a residency to produce a work that can be performed by more than one amateur music group on several occasions at the end of the period of association. The project would also provide publicity for the composers at the start of their careers and launch them in the amateur sector with the backing of Making Music. In addition, we would provide background advice and guidance where necessary and support them in the business, marketing and ancillary requirements of being a self-employed composer.
Further details of the Composer in Residence scheme are still being developed, and will be publicised in Making Music News as soon as possible.
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