Major contribution provides emergency aid via the Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund
Friday March 27 – The Royal Society of Musicians (RSM), Britain’s oldest music charity, has today announced a £500,000 contribution to musicians suffering financial hardship, to be distributed through the Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund, the vital emergency relief fund from UK charity Help Musicians.
Recognising the strength in collaboration and the unprecedented immediate need in the music community, RSM has taken this proactive step to mobilise funds in order to support even more musicians facing immediate financial crisis in the current climate.
The £5m Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund was launched on Wednesday March 25 as a direct response to the challenging and uncertain landscape for musicians. The Fund offers a one-off payment of £500 per applicant and is to be used to alleviate some of the immediate pressure on musicians to meet their household expenses.
As a direct result of RSM’s action, an additional 1,000 will receive financial hardship support.
The Fund is available to UK professional working musicians and is applied for via an online form. Read the full eligibility criteria and application process on the Help Musicians website here.
Charlotte Penton-Smith, Chief Executive, The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Help Musicians to support those whose lives have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Being Britain’s oldest music charity it is of utmost importance that we do all we can to help the profession at what is, such a challenging and uncertain time.”
James Ainscough, Help Musicians CEO, said: “It is only through collaboration that we can begin to make progress in meeting the needs of our music community right now. We are incredibly grateful to our longstanding friends at The Royal Society of Musicians for recognising the value of the Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund and further bolstering its ability to reach more musicians. The impact of Coronavirus on musicians lives and careers is unprecedented, and now more than ever we need as much support as possible to provide meaningful help for those in need.”
About the Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund:
Applications for this fund are submitted through an online form and offers a one-off payment of £500 per applicant. We regret that, because of the demand we anticipate, we cannot at this stage commit to making more than one payment to any individual from this temporary financial hardship fund as a result of the coronavirus. We encourage musicians only to apply if they are indeed suffering significant financial hardship to enable us to provide help quickly to those who need it the most. As the Help Musicians team continue to deal with an increased number of enquiries for support and advice please can we ask you not to ring the team in relation to your application to this fund.
Further help and advice is from across the profession is available at: http://www.coronamusicians.info/
The 25th Annual Jacqueline du Pré Charity Concert
The 25th Annual Jacqueline du Pre Charity Concert took place at 7.30 p.m. on Monday 24 February 2020 at Wigmore Hall.
For this concert, Joanna MacGregor curated a programme with Aldeburgh connections; music by Bridge, Britten and Shostakovich was included together with a new commission from former Britten–Pears Young Artist, Freya Waley-Cohen.
Welcome to Ginny Leigh
Following Phoebe Fullbrook’s departure in July, we are thrilled to welcome the appointment of Ginny Leigh to the role of Membership Secretary at the Society.
Ginny trained as a flautist with Miranda Zwalf, Peter O’Connor and then with Amy Yule at Durham University, graduating in 2019 with a BA Hons in Music. Whilst at university, Ginny’s primary academic focus was musicology; her extended musicological research has centred predominantly around music philosophy as well as gender, sexuality and dramaturgy in 20th century opera. She is an also avid composer and has studied trumpet with Paul Mayes.
Ginny has also had experience freelancing as a performer for a range of events, has worked as a flute teacher, and volunteered at local churches in Hertfordshire as a musical engagement assistant to provide outreach opportunities for children.
Ginny is delighted to be joining the Society’s team and is looking forward to meeting our Members at various meetings and events.
The Handel Room at 26 Fitzroy Square is available to hire
Our beautiful Handel Room situated on the ground floor at 26 Fitzroy Square is available to hire. Facilities include a large boardroom table seating up to 16 (collapsible for rehearsals and other events), access to a further 35 chairs, use of cloakroom, kitchenette, external courtyard and free wifi.
Near to Warren Street and Great Portland Street Underground Stations.
For more information, please get in touch.
Charlotte Penton-Smith appointed Chief Executive of The Royal Society of Musicians
Charlotte Penton-Smith has recently been appointed to the newly-created post of Chief Executive of The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain. She has been Secretary of the RSM since 2013. Her new position reflects the important strategic role she plays with the Governors in developing the Society to meet today’s challenges. With a rapidly expanding membership base and a new office in London’s Fitzroy Square, the RSM is well placed to capitalise on the traditions established by Handel and its other founders, whilst harnessing the opportunities of the twenty-first century.
Prior to working at the RSM, Charlotte Penton-Smith was Chief Executive of Future Talent and OperaGenesis Administrator at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; her career began at Aldeburgh Music (now Snape Maltings) as Britten–Pears Programme Assistant and then Masterclass Co-ordinator.
As a result of Charlotte Penton-Smith’s promotion, the RSM is now seeking a Membership Secretary to join its small team.
