Following the premature end of his extraordinary career as a concert cellist, Julian Lloyd Webber has decided on his next big move – to join Live Music Now, the charity created by Yehudi Menuhin and Ian Stoutzker.
"We are delighted that Julian has chosen to support Live Music Now. This is especially fitting as Julian and Yehudi Menuhin enjoyed a close relationship, and their recording together of the Elgar concerto is a legacy of this time. I'm sure that Yehudi, who inspired us to create the scheme, would be so very happy to know that Julian is now helping us in our endeavours. Live Music Now in 1977 was a pioneer in the use of music for the disadvantaged, and Julian's contribution will help to keep us at the forefront of this work." – Ian Stoutzker CBE, Chairman and Co-Founder of Live Music Now
"Live Music Now is doing the most incredible work which should be much better known. Its two and a half thousand participatory concerts every year benefit both listeners and young musicians. It was an inspirational idea from my dear friend and colleague Yehudi Menuhin, and I will be doing all I can to help further Live Music Now's wonderful and invaluable work." – Julian Lloyd Webber
"Music, amongst all the great arts, is the language which penetrates most deeply into the human spirit, reaching people through every barrier, disability, language and circumstance. This is why it has been my dream to bring music back into the lives of those people whose lives are especially prone to stress and suffering… so that it might comfort, heal and bring delight." – Yehudi Menuhin
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What will Julian Lloyd Webber be doing for Live Music Now?
Despite the impressive scale of its work, Live Music Now (LMN) is not as widely known or as well funded as it should be. This may be because most of its performances take place in private settings with vulnerable people, rather than in the public eye. There is huge potential for LMN and its musicians to reach even more people, in care homes, hospitals, special schools and community centres all around the country. We have ambitious plans to explore many new areas where music can help people and communities, and this is what we hope to achieve with Julian's help.
Julian will be LMN's public spokesman, and will lead a new group of people from the arts and other sectors, who will seek to shine a spotlight on LMN's work, celebrating the joy that live music can bring to people in all sorts of difficult circumstances.
Live Music Now
Live Music Now was established in 1977 by Yehudi Menuhin and Ian Stoutzker. Since then, it has become a nation-wide scheme, to train the best musicians to perform for people in very challenging circumstances. These are people who might never otherwise hear live music, and who benefit from it in so many ways. Last year, the charity delivered over 2,500 participatory performances for over 125,000 people in care homes, hospitals, special needs schools, and a range of community settings, all around the UK. LMN musicians come from many different styles of music, from Western Classical to jazz, folk and more. The LMN experience gives musicians the ability to perform with a deeper level of engagement throughout their careers.
"We are all enormously excited that Julian Lloyd Webber is joining us at Live Music Now. It is a huge boost to all our volunteers, staff and musicians to know that he has chosen to support us, and a wonderful opportunity to show the world the difference that our music projects make to thousands of older people, children and young people, every year. We're really looking forward to working with Julian to find new ways to bring the very best live music to people in all walks of life, helping achieve Yehudi Menuhin's vision of transforming lives with music". – Evan Dawson, Executive Director LMN
Photo Credits:
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Julian Lloyd Webber and Yehudi Menuhin in performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – 1985.
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Julian Lloyd Webber visiting a LMN Musician in Residence session* for children with special educational needs and disabilities led by LMN musician Sophie Crawford at Watergate School in Lewisham, London. *Part of a UK-wide residency programme in SEN schools funded by the Classic FM Foundation. Photo credit: Jon Barlow
