Endangered Species
In 2004 Youth Music launched their Endangered Species initiative. This aims to encourage more young people to play instruments which appear to be declining in popularity for a variety of reasons including their size, cost and availability. The instruments identified are:
- Oboe
- Bassoon
- French horn
- Trombone
- Tuba/Euphonium
- Double Bass
It is sad to think that such an impressive range of instruments appear to be attracting fewer and fewer young people learning them. All play a vital role in a wide variety of music ranging from major symphonic works to jazz and funk.
We are pleased that thanks to a grant from Youth Music and generous support from our Music Trust and Friends’ Association, we have been able to increase our stock of bassoons, tubas, euphoniums and double basses.
Through buying a range of mini and short reach bassoons and basses we have been able to offer Key Stage 2 children the opportunity to learn these fascinating instruments for the first time. As a result we have almost doubled the number of children learning bass and increased by 25% the number of young bassoonists.
All the instruments are featured in our annual series of Discovery Recitals which means that approximately 5000 children get to see and hear them in their own schools. We are also delighted to have worked with musicians from the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a day specifically aimed at oboists, bassoonists and brass players through the Endangered Species programme.
To register an interest in taking up one of the instruments on the Endangered Species list please click here. Youth Music