Autumn 2011 Award Recipients

Inaugural Making Music Award

Music for Alice is delighted to announce that the winner of the first Music for Alice Making Music award is violinist Tanya Sweiry. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music with First Class Honours Tanya has performed at festivals and recital series including the Little Venice Music Festival, St John’s Smith Square, Queen’s College Oxford Recital Series and Krakow Autumn Festival, Poland. As a soloist, she has performed with the North London Symphony Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia.

Tanya wowed judges at auditions earlier this year to claim her prize. Music for Alice wishes Tanya all the best for a successful music career. 

Goldsmiths Award

This year's Goldsmiths Award, which comprises part funding towards a Music Masters was awarded to Ben Bradley. Ben achieved a place on the MMus Composition and his goal is to produce contemporary classical music and publish this through his own record label. 

George Green's School

Noshin Alom, a Year 10 student was awarded the George Green's School award. She has recently passed Grade 3 cello with Merit, Grade 1 piano and Grade 1 theory with distinction. SHe is a very dedicated student and took a leading role in the studio orchestra in the school Summer concert. The prize was awarded at the School Awards Ceremony in October.

Autumn 2010 Awards Round-up

It's been another busy summer of award giving for Music for Alice. Recent awards have gone to:

• Nadia Audhali, a Year 9 student at George Green's School who is an excellent singer. She was Little Red Riding Hood in the school musical - Into the woods -and is hoping to take take GCSE music next year. 
• Janie Armour, who won a part scholarship for a Music MA at Goldsmiths College, London.
• Kids Company, who received £750 to buy musical instruments for the many children and young people who visit their drop in centres.
• City of Leeds Youth Orchestra for one of their gifted young musicians.

In other news, Music for Alice has been working closely with Making Music and from 2011 will give an annual award through their prestigious Philip & Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists which has been instrumental in launching the careers of many of today's stars. The first award will be given in February 2011.

George Green's School, London

Situated in the Isle of Dogs, East London, George Green's is a comprehensive school for boys and girls aged 11-19. Students come from a wide range of socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Music is an important and influential part of the curriculum.

• 2011 Award Winner: Noshin Alom, Year 10 who recently passed Grade 3 cello with Merit, Grade 1 piano and Grade 1 theory with distinction.
• 2010 Award Winner: Nadia Audhali, Year 9 who is an excellent singer. She was Little Red Riding Hood in the school musical - Into the woods - and is also a member of our school choir. She is hoping to take take GCSE music next year and has just performed solo at a recent school Awards Evening!
• 2009 Award Winner: Russell Akbar. An outstanding musician who is now in Year 10 taking GCSE music
• 2008 Award Winner: Nicola Le, Year 10. Nicola has worked very hard to take her GCSE Music a year early and has recently completed her Grade 5 theory exam.
• 2007 Award Winner: Kay Roucou, Singer, Year 10
• 2006 Award Winner: Mohammed Ibrahim, Year 9

Goldsmiths College, London: Music for Alice Goldsmiths Award

Part of the University of London, Goldsmiths is known nationally and internationally as a principal creative institution. The Music department is one of the top ranking departments in the country. Alumni include musicians Graham Coxon and Alex James (Blur), John Illsley (Dire Straits) and Brian Molko (Placebo).

Eligibility Criteria: From 2010 the award has changed to a part scholarship for a Music MA course. All students who are accepted onto the course are welcome to apply for the scholarship. Please contact the Goldsmiths Music department for more details. 

2010 - 2011 Award Winner of part scholarship to MMus Composition: Ben Bradley

2009 - 2010 Award Winner of part scholarship to Music MA: Janie Armour

2008 - 2009 Award Winner: Assaf Gidron: Composer

Assaf is the worthy recipient of the 2008 - 2009 award. He demonstrated not only musical skill, but also the passion and commitment to take forward his career as a composer. Assaf is using the money for advanced composition lessons which he hopes will help him reach his goal of his music reaching the ears of the public!

• 2007 - 2008 Award Winner: Becky Wiles: Pianist

Music for Alice is extremely happy to announce that the 2007 - 2008 Goldsmiths Award has been given to Becky Wiles, a phenomenally talented second year student at the college. Becky takes an active part in the musical activities at the college and beyond and dazzled us with her energy, passion and talent as a pianist.

Becky is hoping to do a post graduate performance course after she completes her undergraduate studies. "Being a professional pianist is what I aim to do with my career and the Music for Alice award has helped me towards this goal; without the award I would have struggled to pay for auditions fees, let alone be in the position to have consultation lessons with different teachers and help towards extra lessons."

As a result of one of the consultation lessons the head of keyboard at the Royal Academy of Music has offered to be Becky's official piano teahcer which will hopefully lead to further performance opportunities.

• 2006 - 2007 Award Winner: Charly Richardson; Composer, Saxopohonist, Pianist, Clarinetist www.charlyrichardson.com

Update, July 2008 - Since graduating from Goldsmiths Charly has been extremely busy working on his second album. Charly is now in the exciting position to give up his day job to work full time as a professional musician. Please visit www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/former-students/goldlink/pdfs/goldlink30.pdf  and go to page 14 to see an article about Charly and Music for Alice.

Music for Alice Harmony Awards

Music for Alice Harmony Awards are open to any musical individual or ensemble to apply for. The awards are up to the value of £500 and must be used in in a demonstrable way in furtherance of the applicant's music education. Award money cannot be used to pay fees, debts or ongoing commitments. Please note that applicants must be UK residents.

Applications are reviewed bi-anually: Deadlines are July 1st and January 1st.
Download HarmonyAwardapplication.pdf

May 2011 - Inaugural Making Music Award

Music for Alice is delighted to announce that the winner of the first Music for Alice Making Music award is violinist Tanya Sweiry. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music with First Class Honours Tanya has performed at festivals and recital series including the Little Venice Music Festival, St John’s Smith Square, Queen’s College Oxford Recital Series and Krakow Autumn Festival, Poland. As a soloist, she has performed with the North London Symphony Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia.

Tanya wowed judges at auditions earlier this year to claim her prize. Music for Alice wishes Tanya all the best for a successful music career. 

June 2010 - Music for Alice has donated £750 of musical instruments to Kids Company for use in their drop in centres for use by the many children and young people who frequent the centres.

September 2009 - The family of Carl Austin from Manchester have been awarded £500 towards the cost of a new viola. Carl is an extremely talented musician and studied at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester. Over the coming months he will attend interviews at Conservatoires across the country.

April 2009  - Enrico Bertelli, a PHD student at York University. The award money will be used to purchase a MIDI drumset to assist him with his studies.

                - Barnes Concert Band. The award money will be used to sheet music for the band.

                - Kids Company, a children's charity. Music for Alice have purchased guitar starter sets and music software for use in drop in centres. See www.kidsco.org.uk for more details.

October 2008 - Ana Nedobora, a young violinist who won the Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra Young Musician's Award with a tremendous performance of part of the Prokoviev concerto no 2. Ana was extremely happy to be given the award which was presented by the Lord Mayor. Ana has used the award money to buy a music stand, metronome and a tuner.

July 2008 - Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra. The award money will be used to buy orchestral parts and sectional rehersals.

Spotlight on award winner Charly Richardson

Saxophonist and composer Charly Richardson was the first ever winner of the Music for Alice Goldsmiths Award in 2006. At the time Charly struck us as being not only highly talented, but also extremely motivated and he impressed us with his plans to use the award money towards his self produced album 'Time Waster'.

Since graduating from Goldsmiths College in London with 1st class honours in 2007, Charly has been playing with numerous acts including Brassroots, Tunday Akintan, The Delegators and Sugarstone Collective.

Brassroots has a monthly residency at the Richmix Arts Centre in East London so if you're in the area why not pop down and see him in action! www.richmix.org.uk The band will also be playing at the Glastonbury Festival this summer. For more information please visit www.charlyrichardson.com

Summer 2009 - four awards presented...

Music for Alice are very happy to announce four awards that they have recently given out to extremely worthy recipients:

Alex Mitchell, Principal Viola at City of Leeds Youth Orchestra. Alex will play the Walton Concerto in a concert at Leeds Town Hall concert this season

Russell Akbar, winner of the annual music competition at George Green's School, London. Russell is an outstanding musician who is currently in Year 10 taking GCSE music

Assaf Gidron, winner of the Goldsmiths Music for Alice award. Assaf will use the £500 award for advanced composition classes in order to advance his career as a composer.

The family of Carl Austin, an extremely talented viola player from Manchester have been awarded £500 towards the cost of a new viola. Carl will soon be attending auditions at Conservatoires across the country.

Music for Alice Pub Quiz, 18th May 2009

A big thank you to everyone who attended the Music for Alice pub quiz in May. The evening was a great success with a fantastic turn out and over £300 raised....and in case you're still wondering the crisp flavours were caramelised onion and balsamic vinegar, paprika, hint of lime and barbeque spare rib!

Leeds Half Marathon, 10th May 2009

A big thank you to Rich Carter for running the Leeds half marathon on behalf of Music for Alice. Rich raised over £100 which is greatly appreciated and will go towards supporting musicians across the county. The race took place on 10th May, Alice's birthday and was a great way of marking the day. Thanks Rich!!

City of Leeds Youth Orchestra (CLYO): Music for Alice Award

CLYO has over 80 young players (14-19) of an extremely high standard. The orchestra regularly performs in Leeds and tours around the UK and internationally. CLYO is regarded as one of the best youth orchestras in the country.

• 2009 Award Winner: Alex Mitchell, Principal Viola
• 2008 Award Winner: Sally Perkins, Principal Cello
• 2007 Award Winner: Catriona Frazer, First Bassoon
• 2006 Award winner: Hilary Cornwell, Principal Oboe