Celebrating Excellence in Music and Dance
The Next Generation
26 & 27 March 2010
DCSF's Music and Dance Scheme is celebrated at Southbank Centre
Over two days in March, Southbank Centre will be overflowing with performances, open rehearsals and workshops by some of the UK's most talented young musicians and dancers. At the centre of Sound Moves is an energy-packed show in the Royal Festival Hall, featuring classical ballet, big band jazz, contemporary dance, choral singing, Kathak dance and percussion.
All the performers, aged 8 to 19, receive training from specialist schools, conservatoires and centres for advanced training in London and the South East participating in the Department for Children, Schools and Families' Music and Dance Scheme. This scheme gives young people with exceptional potential in music or dance the opportunity to receive the highest level of training by providing them with means-tested bursaries. Schools and centres participating in the scheme have produced some of the world's greatest musicians and dancers, including Nigel Kennedy, Alison Balsom, Darcey Bussell and Jonathan Cope.
Started in 1981, the scheme currently helps some 2,000 students aged between 8 and 19, with just under half of them holding aided day and boarding places at designated specialist schools; the others, who are in mainstream schools, receive grants for specialist training out of school hours at Centres for Advanced Training (CATs), which include the top music and dance colleges and conservatoires.
Robin Kiel MBE, Policy Manager, DCSF Music and Dance Scheme commented:
"I am delighted that the Music and Dance Scheme is to be celebrated at Southbank Centre in March. For nearly thirty years the scheme has given access to the very best training for young musicians and dancers regardless of their background and allowed them to aspire to world-class excellence. The fact that so many of the performing artists helped through the scheme are now internationally recognised leaders in their fields shows how important the scheme has been in allowing their potential to be fully realised. Please come and join us in March and see if you can spot the future stars of tomorrow."
A recent Music and Dance Scheme participant comments:
"The training I received was incomparable: the teachers were supportive and inspiring mentors who guided me throughout my time at the school, working tirelessly to make me a better dancer. The experience I gained with many renowned artists and choreographers was invaluable for my professional life."
The organisations taking part in Sound Moves are: Aldeburgh Young Musicians, Centre for Young Musicians, DanceEast Academy, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Laban, The Place, The Purcell School, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Ballet School, Royal College of Music, Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, Trinity College of Music, Westminster Abbey Choir School, Westminster Cathedral Choir School, Yehudi Menuhin School, Youth Dance England
Read more about this at the Music and Dance Scheme website:
Or at the Sound Moves website:
