Transforming Communities

Survey finds that musicians benefit from working with Live Music Now

  • 50% musicians say that they have increased self-confidence as a performer
  • 100% believe that LMN has given them skills that broaden employment opportunities
  • 50% say that the scheme has made them more versatile

In a recent targeted evaluation undertaken with young, professional musicians working with the charity Live Music Now (LMN) over half of those questioned said that the organisation is helping them with their own wellbeing.

Fifty-percent of the musicians interviewed said that they had increased self-confidence as a performer. All of them said that they broadened their employment opportunities by working on the scheme. Again over half the musicians felt that they had become more versatile, more spontaneous and able to adapt to all sorts of situations and people.

As the largest provider of live music sessions in a wide variety of community, healthcare and educational settings, LMN brings crucial benefits to people experiencing difficult times or with restricted access and plays an integral part in promoting the wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of people in the UK.

Musician, Eugenia Startseva (piano) said:

"I feel more confident on the stage and also some qualities which we need for LMN events enable me to manage other non-LMN work better".

Fifty percent thought they had received excellent support, training and advice and thirty percent said that it was good. Ten percent said that it was adequate and ten percent said that it could be better for them.

"I have certainly grown in confidence. The diverse and sometimes challenging situations one is presented with as an LMN musician require skilful handling and lots of 'thinking on your feet'. Those skills benefit me in every performance situation I encounter." said Robb Tooley, (trombone), Broken Bones.

The audience types that musicians particularly enjoyed working with were older people and children with special needs.

Eleanor Turner, harpist of The Saint-Saens violin and harp duo, said that one of her most memorable moments with LMN was at an event for special needs children:

"We were performing for a group of children, half of whom were noise sensitive, the other half were only able to communicate through constant noise throughout the performance. One little girl let out a sort of wail, which Roger responded to by imitating it pitch perfect on the violin, making all the staff and children laugh."

The charity is pivotal in keeping live music performance alive and well in the UK. It offers employment opportunities to hundreds of musicians each year, who are just beginning their careers, and are from all musical genres and cultures. Through LMN they are inspired to stay in the industry, practise their art, develop as music leaders and bring happiness to thousands of people.

Sarah Derbyshire, Executive Director, Live Music Now, said:

"The aims of Live Music Now are two-fold, to help those in distressed circumstances and to support young talented musicians at the beginning of their careers. It is good to see that both of these aims are being achieved."

-Ends-

About the Survey Summary

This was an in-depth evaluation survey of those musicians who had either just left the LMN scheme or who had worked with the organisation for a year.

They believed that LMN had enabled them to develop as a performer and said that they had gained:

o Versatility – thinking on feet, adapting, spontaneity, judging

o Increased self-confidence as a performer

o Communication skills – public speaking

o Musicianship skills – repertoire, arrangement

o Ability/experience at working with a range of audiences

o Playing as a group and working together

o Helpful evaluation and reflection on each LMN performance

o Workshop experience

o Playing from memory

o LMN recital experience

Further information from:

Rita Vail, Vail & Associates, T: 020 7738 0722 – E: [email protected]