An evening at Drapers’ Hall

---

This November supporters of Young Sounds UK were invited to an evening of music and celebration at the phenomenal Drapers’ Hall. The audience were treated to a night of fantastic performances by past and present musicians from our Thrive programme, as well as a surprise ensemble featuring some familiar faces in honour of Phillip Jones, our former Chair of Trustees, now Chair Emeritus.

Our venue 

Steeped in over 200 years of history, Drapers’ Hall is the home of the Worshipful Company of Drapers, one of London’s 12 great livery companies. The Drapers’ Company evolved from trade to grant-giving and philanthropy, and we were honoured to receive the venue and catering in-kind for our fundraising event! 

Our compere for the evening was broadcaster, presenter and Young Sounds Patron Zeb Soanes. Zeb joined Young Sounds UK as a Patron in 2013, and since then has been a proud supporter of our work. In between pieces, Zeb spoke passionately about our achievements this year – from our Connect Get Togethers and Thrive opportunities, to our work with the Black British Research Unit for EQUALIZE.

---

---

Our performers 

The first performance of the evening came from 16-year-old Kylia. A talented harpist, Kylia is supported by Young Sounds for the first time this year through The David Bateman Award. She kicked off an incredible evening of music with Tournier’s Féerie – Prélude et Danse and Sun Dance from Santa Fe Suite by William Mathias. 

Our second performer was violinist Teagan. Heavily influenced by listening to her father’s eclectic CD collection as a small child, Teagan began playing the violin aged four. After being supported by Young Sounds for three years, she has now begun her undergraduate studies at the Royal College of Music on a full scholarship. After a short Q&A with Zeb, Teagan delighted the audience with Rebecca Clarke’s Midsummer Moon for violin and piano and Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances. 

---

---

Third to the stage was our first singer at an autumn fundraising concert! Coloratura soprano Veronika began singing every day since joining a toddler group choir in her home country of Ukraine. Fleeing the war, Veronika was offered a full scholarship to continue her musical studies at Chetham’s School of Music and is now embarking on her next chapter at the Royal Academy of Music. She hopes one day to sing with the English National Opera and at theatres worldwide. Veronika’s stage presence and jaw-dropping performances prompted Zeb to remark: “you can say you saw her here first!” 

Thrive Alumna pianist Bridget was up next, performing Wagner’s Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde and Cécile Chaminade’s Souvenance from Six Romances Sans Paroles. Born into a musical family, Bridget began piano lessons at two and a half, later accepting a joint full scholarship on piano and double bass to Wells Cathedral School at the age of 11, which led her to move to the UK on her own. She now studies with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music, where she holds the Suresh and Richard McMillan Full Scholarship. Teagan and Bridget also performed at our Spring online concert in 2023.

---

---

A fond farewell 

Finally, our audience were treated to three surprise performances as a musical tribute to our Chair Emeritus, Phillip Jones, who stepped down in September after an impressive 18-year tenure as Chair of Trustees. 

Philip helped to transform Young Sounds into a major force for good, having a profoundly positive impact on the lives of thousands of young musicians. The exceptional breadth of Philip’s involvement in Young Sounds has impacted all our young musicians’ journeys with timely, targeted support to help them move into their professional careers. The surprise performances celebrated Phillip’s impact, whilst we also look forward to the future with our new Chair of Trustees, Anthony Hamer-Hodges. 

First, Alumna pianist Bridget was joined by 10-year-old violinist Hedley and 11-year-old cellist Aurora for a delightful performance of Frank Bridge’s Minuet from Miniatures for Piano Trio. As part of her Alumni role with Young Sounds, Bridget rehearsed the two young musicians prior to the performance. Then the audience was treated to two performances from a one-night-only ensemble of past and present Thrive musicians, as well as Young Sounds team cellists – Thrive Director Jessica Burroughs and Thrive Producer Charlotte Lincoln. 

---

---

The first surprise piece was Valse Russe – another movement from Bridge’s Miniatures – arranged especially for the Thrive Ensemble and comprising Alumni Bridget Yee, Joel Munday, Elodie Chousmer-Howelles, Poppy McGhee, Teagan Craggs, Yagmur Erdogan and Carlotta Vitaloni. It also featured French horn soloist, Alumnus Ben Goldscheider. Ben began playing the horn at aged 9 and two years later started studying with Susan Dent at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. In 2020 he graduated with honours from the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin, studying with Radek Baborák. Patron and fellow Young Sounds Alumnus Gavin Higgins wrote his first horn concerto for Ben, who performed it in 2024 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. About his journey with Young Sounds, Ben says: 

“Almost 15 years ago, Young Sounds helped me buy my first proper orchestral instrument and I can quite honestly say I would not be where I am today without that initial support.” 

The Thrive ensemble’s final piece of the night was an arrangement of Song of the Birds by Pablo Casals, led by a mesmerising performance from Alumna Patron, Jess Gillam MBE on soprano saxophone! Young Sounds supported Jess from the ages of 13 to 17, helping with the cost of her Saturday studies at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music and enabling her to access a host of musical opportunities. Now Jess performs all over the world, and presents her own BBC Radio 3 show, This Classical Life. 

---

---

Thank you 

Huge thanks to our Patron Zeb Soanes for hosting the evening. We’d also like to thank everyone at The Drapers’ Company. Many thanks too to Simon Lane for his piano accompaniment and Deian Rowlands for lending Kylia his harp, and our Alumnus Ben Goldscheider and Alumna Patron Jess Gillam MBE for their wonderful performances.