Music tuition for 70 disadvantaged London children

Dear Friends,  

We are overjoyed to announce that our second music venue, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens is now open! It’s been a long journey since 2018 when we were awarded the space by Wandsworth Council and Ecoworld Ballymore to become its newest cultural anchor and to create a new educational and performance venue in Nine Elms. 

World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens marks the first time London has welcomed a new community concert hall in the capital since 2008. As well as our flagship 200-capacity concert hall, the building will enable World Heart Beat to build on its existing track record of providing music education that is accessible to all social groups, enabling us to double our current teaching capacity, alongside our Kimber Road venue each year.  

Cutting edge technology and state of the art facilities (including the first UK auditorium to install the revolutionary 360-degree d&b immersive Soundscape EnScene system, as used on tours by Bjork and Brian Eno, as well as recording studios, teaching spaces and outside broadcast studio), will enable us to introduce young people to a huge breadth of music industry skills whilst also providing an unparalleled experience for artists and audiences alike.  

Created for the diverse community of inner south-west London, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens will be a ‘cultural anchor’ for the area offering well-established music teaching as well as a busy programme of affordable concerts presented by both emerging and established international artists.Curated by World Heart Beat founder Sahana Gero MBE, the music programme brings together internationally-recognised musicians as well as emerging artists to showcase the worlds of jazz, contemporary classical, and folk. The 10-week season begins on 20 January 2023 with Julian Joseph’s Trio. However, preceding this, we have a special fundraising gala on Tuesday 17 January with the incredible pianist Yevgeny Sudbin performing a wonderful programme with all the proceeds going to the charity’s bursaries programme, to support disadvantaged children and low-income families with music instruments and lessons. 

Furthering our community outreach within Wandsworth, in mid-October we took part in the Battersea Power Station launch to celebrate the momentous opening of this legendary, Grade II listed building, almost 40 years after its closure. Positioning itself as one of London’s most exciting retail and leisure destinations, we provided a day of musical entertainment including performances from our gig bands and our EMERGE musicians to over 2,000 members of the public. 

In November, we took part in the Lord Mayor’s Parade; a chance for our New Orleans Band musicians to perform with tremendous energy, passion and gusto on a World Heart Beat decorated horse-drawn bus (kindly funded by ITC). We were interviewed by BBC1 aspart of over 6,500 people taking part in the 3-mile-longparade to welcome the new Lord Mayor of London. It was a hugely joyous and entertaining occasion withover 250 horses and 133 floats (50 of which are decorated) taking part in the celebrations! 

We also took part in the EFG London Jazz Festival with a joint performance with the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy (JJJA) at Club 606 featuring ‘Together we go Forward’ - a chance for our young jazz musicians to really swing and showcase their love and learning of jazz. The partnering of both academies ensures the shared enrichment and creation of more well-rounded young musicians who benefit through learning, gaining experience and performance opportunities – it was a truly uplifting performance and a pleasure to take part once again at this iconic London jazz venue. 

Last month, we celebrated the 51st State Band’s annual performance at the Putney Arts Theatre. Now in its 20th year, the 51st State Band represents the spirit of the academy by bringing young gifted musicians of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to learn and play together. The concert consisted of an inspiring and vibrant music programme of jazz, rock, soul and film scores. This year, an added highlight was Cuban violinist Omar Puente and the Heart Beat Latin band who provided some exceptional Latin rhythms and beats. The evening was a huge success and completely sold-out - once again a festive and unmissable event in the Wandsworth arts calendar for the local community and families alike.  

To celebrate the start of the holiday season, the Word Heart Children’s Choir and the World Heart Beat Young Professionals took part in live performances of classical seasonal songs alongside a street food market and festive trade stalls as part of the Embassy Gardens Festive Fair. It was a cheery and heart-warming way to welcome in Christmas with plenty of audience singalong participation too! 

Finally, why not celebrate arts and culture in London by booking yourself or gifting a family member to a Christmas present with a concert at World Heart Beat at Embassy Gardens? Choose from jazz, contemporary classical, folk and much more! https://worldheartbeat.org/whats-on/ 

Wishing you all a very festive, joyful and relaxing Christmas and New Year Season with friends, family and loved ones and looking forward to sharing further music news and inspiration for 2023! 

With best wishes, Sahana x