Berkshire Maestros can keep the music playing thanks to Culture Recovery Fund

£783,746 award for county music service

Berkshire Maestros, the music service delivering instrumental and singing lessons and ensembles across the county, is the latest arts organisation to receive a financial lifeline from the Government.

They have been awarded £783,746 as part of the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF). This fund was established to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future.

Berkshire Maestros is one of 588 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support – with £76 million of investment announced at the weekend.

This follows £257m awarded earlier to 1,385 organisations, also from the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

Berkshire Maestros CEO Dawn Wren said: “This is absolutely fantastic news for the long term sustainability of Berkshire Maestros.

"We have worked hard to keep students playing music throughout this pandemic. Learning to play or sing boosts children’s academic achievements and enhances soft skills such as team working and confidence.

"But what has been demonstrated more than ever this year is how important music is to a child’s positive sense of wellbeing.

"This grant will therefore ensure that we can continue to support the children of Berkshire emotionally as well as musically and academically.”

Established in 1982, children’s charity Berkshire Maestros offers musical education opportunities to children and young people across Berkshire, regardless of ability, background or circumstance.

They work closely with schools across the county to allow all children access to music and the opportunity to play an instrument. Through local music centres, they offer people of all ages the chance to sing, play instruments and enhance their life-skills through music.

Their choirs, orchestras and ensembles perform at prestigious venues across the county and beyond – helping the children to develop their team-working and communications skills as well as building their confidence.

When lockdown began, the team at Maestros moved very quickly to rearrange instrumental and singing lessons. By the end of March, the majority of Maestros students had begun having lessons online via Zoom.

Many of these lessons are now running face-to-face again, with strict social distancing regulations being followed. Most ensembles run through Maestros’ seven music centres have also recommenced with some taking place in person and some being online. Some students are even able to take their music grade exams this term.