Essex Young Musicians’ Trust supports next generation’s talent
10th January 2025
In 1984, the Friends of the Essex Youth Orchestra was created, successfully running programmes for young and upcoming musicians in the county.
For many years, funds were raised by a group of Essex Youth Orchestra parents, however, it was felt by those involved that more should be done to help young, local musicians, so in 1995, their name was changed to the Essex Young Musicians’ Trust (EYMT).
Through events, donations, subscriptions and sponsorships, EYMT raised funds to provide Full Fee Bursaries, Tour Bursaries and occasional Discretionary Awards and “top-ups”, ensuring that talented young musicians, who may not have the financial backing or opportunity to do so otherwise, can fulfil a career in music and the arts. The EYMT was transferred to us, to continue the 30 year legacy of the Trust and provide support for the next generation of musical talents.
Carrie Penn recently received support from the Trust to support her two-year Masters course in Composing for Film and Television, which she is about to graduate from at the National Film and Television School (NFTS).
Carrie said, “I really appreciate the Essex Young Musicians Trust and Essex Community Foundation for helping to make this possible.
“For the final year of my course, I have been busy composing the music for six different graduation projects, a documentary, a fiction film, a game, a nature documentary, an animation and a television show. These projects have given me the opportunity to compose in a wide range of styles and have given me a strong portfolio which will help me as I enter the industry in the next few months.
“In October, our games projects were showcased at EGX (Eurogamer Expo) in London and in March, our films will be screened to industry professionals at the BFI in London. Completing this course has not only improved my composition and music production abilities but has given be the skillset I need to confidently work as part of a post-production team. I am now well versed at working with directors, sound designers and editors to help shape projects in the post-production stage and feel confident about how to carry myself in the industry.
“I have made many contacts while working at the school, both with the students I will be graduating alongside and with industry professionals who have come to the school to visit. When I graduate, I will continue to work on projects with some of my collaborators from NFTS and am also applying to assistant composer jobs in London. I already have an assistant composing job lined up with a games composer I met as a result of a project I worked on at NFTS. I know it will take a lot of hard work to find my way in this line of work, but I am confident of my next steps.
“None of this would have been possible if I had not been able to find the funding to study at NFTS, so I am very grateful for the help!”
To help more individuals like Carrie or if you want to find out more about how to give back to your local community, you can donate through us. We make it easy for you to support specific causes you care about, so together we can make a long-lasting, positive difference across Essex.