Imagine starting your music degree playing a horn you bought off a pub wall.

Last year, 39 music students applied to the RPS for help to buy new instruments, with requests totalling £140,000.  It’s our most over-subscribed fund and we can’t even meet a quarter of the need.

Many students starting their professional training can’t afford to replace instruments they’ve owned since childhood or borrowed from school. Often they are woefully inadequate - it’s impossible to keep them in tune and they will never reflect the student’s true abilities as a performer.

“Having my new double bass has allowed me to progress so much more than I otherwise would. Thank you so much.” James Kenny, Barbirolli Grant recipient, RCM

A new, mid-range piccolo flute might cost £1,000, a clarinet £2,500, ranging up to £15,000 and beyond for bassoons, and string instruments.

The RPS Barbirolli Fund gives one-off non-repayable grants. Watching the students make startling progress with their new instruments is all the repayment we need.