Live Music Now was founded in 1977 by Yehudi Menuhin (below) and his great friend Ian Stouzker CBE, who has remained its Chairman throughout. During this time, we have selected, trained and supported thousands of professional musicians, and delivered more than 70,000 interactive music sessions for over 2.5 million disadvantaged people across the UK.
Last year, we celebrated the Centenary of Yehudi Menuhin, looking back on all the extraordinary things he accomplished, and his vision that musicians should play a greater role in society.
”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
This year, as we celebrate our 40th birthday, we are looking to the future. With such challenges facing the adult social care sector (where loneliness and dementia are affecting so many older people in particular), and with hosptials and special schools facing budget cuts, the need for our work has never been greater. But there is also a greater understanding amongst policy-makers and academics about the significant benefits that musical engagement can bring, and a huge potential for us to reach far more people, throughout the UK.
Over the coming years, LMN aims to raise additional funds to meet the growing demand for our work, whilst continuing to place the quality of the musical experience at the heart of what we do.
To learn more about our vision for music in society, please download a copy of Live Music Now’s five year strategic vision, Bringing Music to Life.