In 2024 Awards for Young Musicians became Young Sounds UK. You can read all about it here.

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Giving musical talent a chance

youngSoundsUK_coreLogo_white

Giving musical talent a chance

We're Young Sounds UK

For 25 years, we've supported talented young people from low income families, helping them to overcome financial and social barriers. Whatever the genre or style, our programmes help young musicians from across the UK to fulfil their musical potential.

Whether funding instruments, lessons or transport, expanding their musical networks or giving them opportunities to perform, we do everything we can to give individual support to young people in need.

Our programmes not only sustain musical journeys, we also help others to identify and nurture talent wherever they find it.

Young Sounds UK are a proud member of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of funded organisations for 2023-2026 and one of eight new National Youth Music Organisations.

 
Supporting 1000 young people across our programmes
 
Granting over £160,000 in Awards and Bursaries to our young people
 
Providing more than 200 musical opportunities and events.
 
Training over 1,000 teachers how to identify musical talent and potential.

Who we are

We support talented young musicians from low-income families throughout the UK, helping them to overcome financial and social barriers in their musical journeys.

How we help

Offering individual support to young people, our programmes sustain young people's musical progress and help teachers identify and nurture talent wherever they find it.

How you can help

Young Sounds UK is a charity. Donations of time, effort and financial contributions from funders, donors and supporters are what keep us going.

Double your donation this March!

We’ve been selected to participate in the Big Give's Arts for Impact match funding campaign! Every donation made to our campaign between Tuesday 18 March and Tuesday 25 March will be doubled, by the Big Give and their partners, New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture (NPAC), until we reach our fundraising target.

"In the 20+ years since Young Sounds founding, when I became its very first Patron, much has changed in music education. Young Sounds has changed too, and is now a significant player in the sector, where it focuses on those most in need. This work is made possible thanks to the ever-growing support of donors and funders across the UK. Sadly Young Sounds' help is now needed more than ever as the arts are increasingly sidelined in schools and music funding constantly threatened.

I'm extremely proud of the transformative difference our charity has made to so many young people's musical future."

Sir Simon Rattle OM CBE
Founding Patron

Photographer: Oliver Helbig

News and Stories

1 day ago

Work with us: Chair of Trustees

After nearly 18 fantastic years, Philip Jones will be retiring as the Chair of Young Sounds UK. We’re incredibly grateful…

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1 week ago

Spring Get Together at the Royal Northern College of Music!

On Thursday 27 February 2025, young musicians on our Connect programme came together for a day of music making at…

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2 weeks ago

Double your donation with Arts for Impact!

We’ve been selected to participate in the Big Give’s Arts for Impact match funding campaign! We’re raising £20,000 to supported…

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Read more

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