Borletti-Buitoni Trust
BBT Communities
Music Changing Lives
In June 2023, BBT celebrates its 20th anniversary with a weekend of events in London, with a new commission from one of our new BBT Communities, Multi-Story Orchestra and Young Creatives at Bold Tendencies on 9 June and then four concerts over the weekend of 10 & 11 June at Wigmore Hall. All in all 24 BBT artists are involved, together with founding trustee Mitsuko Uchida in two evening concerts. Full details here.
ILARIA BORLETTI BUITONI
Reflections on a life in music and philanthropy
As Chair and Co-Founder of BBT with her late husband Franco Buitoni, Ilaria Borletti Buitoni has kept a low profile over the two decades of the Trust’s existence, having always maintained that the focus should be on the young musicians it supports. For this 20th anniversary landmark, in a conversation with Nick Breckenfield, she reveals her deep commitment to philanthropy, culture and music and the joy they bring to her life. She talks candidly about her childhood in Milan, decades of travel and work in Africa with AMREF, her love of Franco and her belief in music for wellbeing.
This recent division of the Trust seeks to support organisations that impact the life of a community through music and make a real difference to people’s lives, whatever their age and wherever in the world they live.
The first grants of up to £40,000 each were announced in June 2019 and will continue to be awarded every other year thereafter.
Ilaria Borletti Buitoni: “Since founding BBT with my husband Franco, the Trust has helped more than 100 talented young musicians and ensembles all over the world to develop their individual careers. As well as financial assistance, our team nurtures and promotes their projects, offers counsel and opens many doors to help them realise their dreams and ambitions. These young musicians have been nominated and selected by some of the most experienced and highly respected musicians and colleagues in the world of classical music. As a result, BBT has a virtually unblemished track record of excellence and we are proud of every one of our award winners and what they have achieved. We look forward to continuing our efforts with BBT Artists and I personally, look forward to meeting many more in the coming years.
“I feel it is now time to broaden our reach. Music brings great joy in our lives and I believe it can also be a force in helping social cohesion in disadvantaged societies where there is deeply-rooted discrimination and suffering, especially among underprivileged young people. I have been actively involved in the charitable sector my whole life and I know there are many organisations in the world which can do this through music of one kind or another. BBT Communities is my pledge to seek out and help these valued enterprises.”