Our wonderful community of music students and teachers would usually be preparing for Greenwich Music School's annual end of year concerts at Charlton House this July; but sadly we are still unable to come together in person to make music. However, the music-making hasn't stopped under COVID19 and we are delighted to have been able to deliver over 2000 music lessons to our students since lockdown began, assisting many young people with our Bursary Fund, to start learning music for the first time.

Our musical community is now rising to a different musical challenge - Greenwich Music School's first ever 'Practice Marathon' fundraiser and Celebration Online Concerts - to mark another year of learning and achievements and bring our community together at this extraordinary time.

Together, students who have registered for the challenge are trying to reach a target of 100 hours of practice and raise £1000 for Greenwich Music School's Bursary Fund, across a four day period at the start of July. Their rehearsing and practising efforts will be showcased in two special online concerts at the end of the 'marathon' week, on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th of July, which family, friends and supporters can tune in to.

All monies raised through this fabulous effort will be used in the local community to help families and students in need of financial support to access music learning opportunities at this hugely difficult time for so many. Our Bursary Fund offers discounts of up to 80% for families in receipt of Universal Credit or otherwise facing financial barriers to music education.

Local accountants, Finsbury Robinson has generously agreed to support the Bursary Fund by match-funding the first £500 in donations that we raise through JustGiving.

At all times, but especially during COVID19 and lockdown, music-making has the potential to increase confidence, boost self-esteem and offer a way to stay connected as a community and experience personal creative growth. Since we became a charity in 2018 our Bursary Fund has become a vital part of our charitable work and now more than ever we need to expand this role to help more of Greenwich's young people experience the positive benefits of music-making.

By registering to take part, each student has set themselves a personal target and will be logging their music practice in minutes and hours on our specially designed 'Practice Marathon' Tracker across the 4 days from 6th-9th July .

Local designer Kerry Frampton has created a beautiful musical colour-in certificate to reward the fundraisers, which will be sent out to every student who takes part and we have some small prizes kindly donated by Faber Music for those students who notch up the most practice in their age and music Grade category.

A great many families everywhere are hugely effected by the COVID19 pandemic; some of the UKs most deprived and vulnerable families live in Greenwich and we know there will be great and lasting hardship in our local community as a result. As a charity, Greenwich Music School's mission is to provide access for all to high quality music education. We are determined to continue reaching out to students and families, and when they reopen, children centres, community centres and schools, to offer music learning opportunities into the future, to those who might not otherwise be able to access them.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND DONATION AND FOR SUPPORTING US IN OUR MISSION !