Page 28 - BBC Music (January 2020)
P. 28
Action stations:
Benedetti and pupils
at the Big Noise 2019
in Stirling, Scotland
HER SELF-IMPOSED CHALLENGE her burgeoning international career as were sporadic, that they dipped in and
is the Benedetti Foundation. It is an a soloist. She became patron, president, out – inevitably because that’s how a solo
extraordinary educational initiative, ‘big sister’, ambassador or whatever to instrumentalist’s life is. It’s a mix of many
launched about a year ago, which will (deep breath) the National Children’s things, not a neat and tidy routine.’
spring fully into life with six weekend Orchestra, Sistema Scotland, the National So she has started this new foundation.
sessions across the country in 2020. ‘This Youth Orchestras of Scotland, the Music Its aims are nothing if not ambitious, as
is the result of 17 years of considering how in Secondary Schools Trust, the Royal you can tell from its mission statement. As
to make an impact on as many people as well as creating ‘explosive, life changing
possible with something that I have a deep experiences around mass musical
love for, and a deep belief in,’ she says. ‘This is the result events for teachers and young people’,
‘Namely, the power of music.’ with the ‘ultimate destination’ being an
Seventeen years of thinking about it? of 17 years of ‘empowered society that is more creative,
She’s only 32 now. Did she really start enlightened and fulfilled’, Benedetti has
pondering how to reach out to thousands considering how also set herself an arguably even more
of young musicians and their teachers challenging aim: ‘to unite the world of
when she was 15, still at the Yehudi to make an impact’ music education’. Phew. No wonder she
Menuhin School and a year off winning needs those double espressos.
the BBC Young Musician of the Year? She ‘Actually we are already pulling
nods seriously. ‘Yes, I’ve been thinking Conservatoire of Scotland, the European together the musical world, on every
about it for ever, looking for better and String Teachers Association, and… well, single operational level, from people in
better ways of making as big a contribution you name it, she supported it. Always, the performing business to the whole
to music education as possible.’ however, she had a nagging feeling that world of schools and teachers, to the
In the past decade Benedetti has marked although she was working with about kids themselves,’ she says. ‘The six
herself out as a kind of missionary for 2,000 youngsters and 500 teachers each three-days workshops we have set up
GETTY, SHUTTERSTOCK accepting figurehead or mentor positions the driving force. ‘I didn’t feel unhappy County Antrim, Manchester and Saffron
classical music’s place in young lives by
for 2020 [in Glasgow, London, Dundee,
year, she was always the ‘guest star’, never
with the work I was doing. But yes, there
Walden] are physical manifestations of
with a wide variety of music-education
organisations – all the while keeping up
what the entire music world represents.’
was frustration that my contributions
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