Live Music Now Reaches New Heights

Live Music Now (LMN), founded by Yehudi Menuhin, works with groups in the community whose access to live music would normally be restricted, such as children with special needs, older people, young offenders, hospital and hospice patients, as well as supporting gifted young musicians at the outset of their careers.

Over the 25 years since Live Music Now set up in Scotland, more than 4,000 performances have been given the length and breadth of the country.

When Carol Main was awarded a Professional Development Bursary three years ago, she gained the confidence to take her work with Live Music Now Scotland to a new, international level.  With the support of the bursary, she set up networks of LMN across Europe and, in addition to Germany and Hungary, new branches are now emerging in Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland and Italy.

Alba Brass, an award-winning brass ensemble and part of Live Music Now, developed a project called ‘Make Some Noise!’ as part of a YMI-funded, six-week Live Music Now residency in Donaldson’s School for deaf and hearing impaired children.

Now offering educational workshops and concerts appropriate to all skill levels and ages, ‘Make Some Noise’ has evolved a model for people to create their own music around the world. It has also proved an ideal project for Live Music Now’s latest work in Abu Dhabi.

This autumn, members of Alba Brass return to the Middle East to share their newest project, ‘Life in Fife’, with children with disabilities in Al Ain, which will draw on their own lives to produce ‘Life in Al Ain’. A commission by the quintet’s trumpet player, Bede Williams, and funded by the Scottish Arts Council’s music department, it will first be experienced by adults with learning disabilities in West Fife as part of Live Music Now Scotland’s local authority developmental work, made possible by Scottish Arts Council funding.

Carol Main, Live Music Now Scotland Director commented:
“This is the first project of its kind to be undertaken in Scotland – drama, dance and live art will be given a soundtrack to improvised and composed music with the use of innovative technology.

‘We are delighted to be able to take this outstanding project further afield. Apart from being a new revenue stream for the organisation, it is also extending Live Music Now’s aims and objectives to places where they are a completely new concept.

‘Live Music Now Scotland is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year and the future looks set to be as bright as the past.  A major project for pre-school children in Scotland has just been awarded YMI funding, increasing exchange of musicians is happening across Europe in support of their professional development, and the pool of musicians.