Young Musicians wow crowds at Hackney Empire
A packed out Hackney Empire enjoyed some of the best young musical talent in Hackney at the annual Music Service Gala. Almost 400 performers, from 39 schools, took part in the event on 3 November, which also hosted the fourth annual Mayor’s Music Awards, set up by the Mayor of Hackney to celebrate the most promising musicians in the borough.
Shania Charles, 14, from Our Lady’s Convent High School, who won an award for her musical achievements on Oboe and Violin said: “I am really happy to win today, I hope to be a professional oboist when I grow up.”
“Music is great, you learn something new, make friends and have fun. I hope other people here watching will want to take up an instrument. I would suggest trying the Oboe as it is an endangered instrument but it is really cool to play.”
The Gala included performances from borough-wide ensembles, orchestras and choirs, as well as school groups and partnerships.
The Haggerston Prince Tribute band treated the audience to a fantastic rendition of the late stars hit ‘Purple Rain’. There was also a R&B mash up by BSix College and the Urswick bell ringers which went down riotously well with the audience. As well as modern music there was a number of classical pieces and a fantastically toe-tapping jazz rendition of ‘Chain Reaction’ by the Hackney Creative Jazz Ensemble.
Hackney is home to some incredibly talented young musicians. It was fantastic to see so many people come along to listen and appreciate the hard work that goes into each performance.
We are proud as a borough to provide financial assistance for music, as funding lessons, instruments and competitions can be very costly. Music and the arts are just as important as maths and english and I am determined that money should not be a barrier to any young person pursuing their passion and fulfilling their passion for music.
Mayor Philip Glanville announced the results during the Gala. The winners were:
Excellence in Music Education Practice:
Primary – Rushmore Primary School
Secondary – Hackney New School
Instrumental Fund for Ensemble Development:
Primary – Millfields Community School
Secondary – Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy
Individual Pupil Awards:
Primary – Samantha Aboagye (Millfields Community School)
Secondary – Shania Charles (Our Lady’s Convent High School)
Around 10,000 young people access Hackney Music Service provision every year. For more information on the Music Service contact; musicservice@learningtrust.co.uk; 020 3076 1534; visit www.hackneymusic.co.uk; or tweet @hackneymusic.
Photographs of the Music Gala and Mayors Awards can be found here.