Saxophonist and present Jess Gillam MBE and cellist Abel Selaocoe have joined the London Music Fund (LMF) as ambassadors, becoming ‘inspiring role models’ for young musicians alongside Nicola Benedetti CBE, YolanDa Brown, Jools Holland OBE, Julian Lloyd Webber, and others.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the LMF provides scholarships for young musicians from low-income backgrounds, enabling them to continue learning a musical instrument beyond whole-class instrumental tuition.
The charity, which has the mayor of London as its patron, won the ‘Outstanding Musical Initiative’ award at the 2021 Music & Drama Education Awards.
Young people involved in the LMF’s work will have the opportunity to meet, perform alongside and learn from the charity’s ambassadors.
Jess Gillam said: ‘I am delighted to be joining the London Music Fund as an Ambassador in its 10th anniversary year. Access to high quality music education is incredibly important to all children and young people, and I believe passionately that every child deserves such access. I am so excited to be working with these young musicians at the Royal College of Music later this month and look forward to meeting them all.’
Abel Selaocoe said: ‘Music education is phenomenally important to children and young people. I believe the London Music Fund’s mission is as important now as it was 10 years ago when the charity was launched: to ensure that no child is left behind because of their socioeconomic background. I am very excited to be joining this wonderful charity at such an important time in its development, and I am very much looking forward to meeting these amazing young musicians.’
London Music Fund CEO Chrissy Kinsella said: ‘Introducing our young musicians to inspiring role models is a crucial part of our programme, and I am so delighted to welcome Abel and Jess to our Ambassador family. They both bring huge passion, dedication and enormous talent with them, and I know that their involvement will have a significant and long-lasting impact on the young musicians they meet, and we are hugely excited about working with them both.’
Read our feature on the LMF at 10 here.
Image of Jess: Robin Clewley
Image of Abel: www.abelselaocoe.com
