Chineke! Foundation - Community

Founded in 2015, the Chineke! Foundation is committed to creating an environment in which young ethnically diverse musicians can generate a sense of ownership and confidence with classical music, as well as benefit from the wellbeing and enhanced social skills that come from making music together.

The BBT Communities grant will support the 2023 Chineke! Junior Orchestra summer residential course which provides opportunities for about 100 young participants to work intensively together. As well as improving their technical skills, this builds a stronger sense of ownership over the music and helps them form the friendships and networks that can kick-start their entry into music colleges, universities and professional careers which, in the longer term, will generate a more inclusive workforce.

IMPACT

Read Susan Rivers’ BBT Communities Blog, November 2023 here

It was my first time playing with people having several backgrounds and coming from several parts of the world. It comforted me that music is universal, whatever the country you come from and the one where you’re playing. Moreover, it was great to see everyone’s talents, and the result when everyone plays together.

Chineke! Junior Orchestra participant

The funding means that the families’ financial situations wasn’t an obstacle to any child being able to attend this course. The funding allowed the students to enhance their musical development and vastly improve on their playing skills over the course of an entire week. The funding also enabled a larger number of children and young people to have the unique opportunity of playing in a symphonic orchestra, with the added bonus of performing in professional concert venues.