Almost 200 Yorkshire schoolchildren from disadvantaged backgrounds helped into music through new programme

Young people with special education needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds get free music lessons, a personalised learning plan and regular meet-ups with other young musicians.

The programme also provides money to help with musical costs and their own mentor to guide them.

The £5.8m pilot is set to hit its four-year target of supporting 1,000 youngsters in just over a year.

Gabriel Godinho Moreira Chaves is one of the pupils to benefit in Sheffield, and recently played violin at Sheffield Music Hub’s sold out Christmas Extravaganza in the city’s cathedral in front of 350 people.

The 17-year-old told The Yorkshire Post that playing music has “helped me a lot”.

“It’s taught me discipline, how to handle challenges and how to keep focused under pressure,” he said.

“When you perform there are a lot of people watching you, but when you have other people playing around you, you feel fine and have fun.

“It has helped a lot, in how people express themselves, express their emotions and deal with stress.

“It helps you build community, you see people who have similar interests with you and you just have fun.”

Gabriel said that playing the violin with the Sheffield Youth Big Band helps him “destress from A-levels.”

School Standards Minister, Georgia Gould, said: “It’s wonderful to see so many young people, like Gabriel already discovering the confidence and joy that music can bring.

“This programme is playing a crucial role in widening access to music and is helping cement the arts at the heart of a rich and broad curriculum, alongside our work to encourage more young people to study creative subjects at GCSE.

“And our focus on the arts doesn’t stop at the classroom door, as our new school enrichment framework that we will launch in the new year will make sure every pupil has access to a strong extracurricular offer, including music and the arts.”

The programme is delivered by the DfE and Young Sounds UK in partnership with Music Hubs, like those in Sheffield and Bradford, across the country. It is also supported by the BBC, the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Sarah Alexander, chief executive at the NYO, said: “Our partnership with Young Sounds shows what can be achieved when teenage musicians take the lead to inspire their peers through music.

“NYO musicians acted as role models for other young people at Young Sounds events across the country, encouraging them to keep playing and learning through music.

“They approached this work with the confidence they needed, having developed their role-modelling and facilitation skills at training.”

Simon Webb, head of orchestras and choirs at the BBC, added: “I am delighted to be working with colleagues across the music and education sectors to make classical music available to more young people across the UK.

“By breaking down barriers to live classical music, including offering free tickets for young people and families to concerts with the BBC Orchestras and the BBC Singers, we will work together to foster a lifelong love of music.”