Music tuition for 70 disadvantaged London children

... that our Artistic Director, Sahana Gero, has recently received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2017 for her continuing and valuable services to music education and her tireless work with the wonderful students of the World Heart Beat Music Academy.

We are also delighted that, for the first time, we have recently received National Portfolio Status for 2018-2022 awarded by the Arts Council England - one of only three arts companies based in London to receive this prestigious award.  This will help to give us increased security over the next four years to be able to develop and continue to reach out to the young musicians in our community.

And to strengthen the old adage that good things come in threes, the exciting and entertaining Brazilian Flashmob recorded back in January at Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth has recently gone viral on Facebook with nearly 2 million views.  Performing a beautiful song by Brazilian musician, Andre Filho, written in 1935 for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, many of the students who took part in the Flashmob are supported by your donations and were receiving free Brazilian workshops as part of this project. We are really proud that as a result of our students love for Brazilian music, they were able to spread joy to so many people around the world.

As you know, the World Heart Beat Music Academy gives children and young people the opportunity to participate in music and explore how music from different cultures can be brought together.  So this summer we are holding a Tango Music Summer School led by Blas Rivera, the top exponent of Argentinian Tango music, with guest bandoneonist Otto Hanriot. The bandoneon (Argentinian accordion) is the instrument at the heart of Buenos Aires tango.  Suitable for all instrumentalists and vocalists the course costs £70 for 3 days of workshops on 28/29/30 July culminating in a concert at the World Heart Beat Academy on 30 July and London's notable jazz venue, the 606 Club, on 1 August.  With the funding we receive from GlobalGiving, we are pleased to say that we will be able to offer bursaries for students who otherwise would not be able to attend.

Thank you all so much once again for your generosity and support allowing us to continue the valuable and exciting work we do here at the World Heart Beat Music Academy.

World Heart Beat Music Academy continues to send our thanks for everyone who has shown their support through the start of another wonderful year.

Our students have shown dedication and commitment to music through their outstanding marks on the most recent Trinity and ABRSM exams. A remarkable 86% of students received distinction or merit on their exams.  We are very excited for all that our students are able to achieve and eager to see what they are able to accomplish in the coming months.

The students’ increasing knowledge and love of music was evident at our most recent Friends night, held this past March at the Maestro Arts Gallery. Invited guest were able to enjoy a performance given by 22 talented students of all ages as well as enjoy the marvelous art on display. A range of performances were enjoyed, including flute duets, solo clarinet pieces, jazz keyboard, and a wonderful vocal ensemble.

We are also excited to announce that the Academy has been shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards. The annual RPS Music Awards, presented in association with BBC Radio 3, are the highest recognition for live classical music in the UK. Awards, in thirteen categories, are decided by independent panels consisting of some of the music industry’s most distinguished practitioners. The awards honour musicians, composers, writers, broadcasters and inspirational arts organisations. The list of previous winners reads like a Who’s Who of classical music. This year’s RPS Music Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in 2016 www.rpsmusicawards.com.

We would like to extend our thanks also to the Singswell choir who chose World Heart Beat as their charity of choice for their recent excellent concert on 25th March 2017 https://www.singswell.co.uk. With around 100 performers including pupils from Southmead and St Joseph's Schools, the concert was a fantastic showcase of the students talent. The choir sang songs ranging from stage and screen, pop and rock to Mozart. Thank you to all the wonderful singers, musicians and event organisers involved. We were really touched by such a wonderful and beautiful concert.

Thank you for all who have showed support in previous years and we hope you continue that support through to another. We could not continue what we do without you and cannot wait to share all we are able to accomplish with your help.

Please do consider becoming a friend of the academy and donating through Global Giving each month.

As a friend of World Heart Beat Music Academy, you will enjoy the ‘feel good factor’ of supporting young people and making a life-long difference to many students. Every donation opens new opportunities for the Academy and we are grateful for any and all support given.

TYPES OF FRIENDS

Monthly donation categories

Con Spirito - £6 per month

priority Invitations to all WHB concerts and other public events

seasonal newsletters highlighting WHB past and forthcoming activities and behind the scenes news

Con Amore - £20 per month

You will receive: all the benefits of a Con Spirito Member PLUS

a credit in WHB concert programmes

two complimentary tickets to one WHB concert

Bravura - £40 per month

You will receive: all the benefits of a Con Amore member PLUS

a position on WHB’s Ideas Board

four complimentary tickets to one WHB concert

Colossale - £100 per month

You will receive: all the benefits of a Bravura member PLUS

invitation to one of WHB’s exclusive dinners

Prima Donna - £200 per month

You will receive all the benefits of a Colossale member PLUS

an invitation to our Prima Donnas annual private recital

the opportunity to host a Prima Donnas special dinner

ten complimentary tickets to WHB concerts

Please remember to Gift Aid your contributions – the additional funding is very valuable to us.

Anything you can give, you’ll be playing a part in changing the lives of young people.