Music in Secondary Schools Trust Summer Update

The Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST) has been doing some fantastic work with young people over the last term and we are delighted to share their latest update.

MiSST CEO, Rachel Landon, reports: “This term has seen many challenges as we have continued to negotiate all the restrictions imposed by COVID-19. However, there have also been many triumphs. Despite having to cancel our annual concert we were able to hold a virtual celebration to showcase all that our students have achieved throughout the lockdown. We have continued to digitalise our curriculum by recording over 350 instrument, theory and singing tutorials to ensure our students were able to continue to learn and progress. It has been a joy to see the students return to Saturday Music School and to hear them playing together again and we can't wait for next year’s concert where they will be able to perform again to a live audience. We have continued to be astounded by the resilience of our students and the power of music to connect us all during such a challenging time. We are looking forward to a new academic year with 4 new schools on the programme. We are very grateful to be able to continue our mission of transforming lives through a classical music education at a time when we feel children need the arts more than ever!”

Huge congratulations are due to Deronne White, a MiSST alumnus, who graduated this term with a Bachelors Degree (with Honours) in flute from the Royal College of Music (RCM). Deronne started learning the flute at Highbury Grove School in Islington in year 7 with MiSST where he showed huge promise. During his school career he played for the London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and later gained a place to study flute at RCM. During his time at RCM Deronne has played in a number of ensembles including the RCM Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra X, the Brixton Chamber Orchestra and the Chineke! Orchestra which is the first professional orchestra in Europe to be made up of majority black, Asian and ethnically diverse musicians.

The Brewers’ Company supports MiSST through the Dame Alice Owen Foundation.