Music tuition for 70 disadvantaged London children

“Learning an instrument is like magic – it opens doors. Countless research tells us that children and young people learn better and faster in all areas of their life if they learn music. Coming together to make music transcends social divides. It brings humanity and joy, friendships, and happiness into the lives of our students.” Sahana Gero, Artistic Director 

Dear Friends and Supporters, 

At the end of last year, we opened our second music venue, our flagship 200-capacity concert hall, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens in the heart of Nine Elms, London. We are proud to announce we have just closed our first season’s programme with over 155 musicians performing and live audiences of over 1,500! 

Our second season is well under way with a plethora of concerts and performances taking place at this state-of-the-art venue. Our programme brings together internationally-recognised musicians as well as emerging artists from our academy and offers a showcase from the worlds of jazz, contemporary, Indian, classical, folk, and much more.  

We give our young musicians opportunities to perform, attend workshops and take part in recording sessions at our new venue. This week, nine piano students took part in a piano masterclass with one of the most sought-after piano teachers in Britain, Hilary Coates, Professor of Piano at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London. It was an amazing opportunity for students to learn from the maestro herself, by acquiring new skills and improving technique. 

Five of our young musicians was overjoyed recently when they were invited to join Omar Puente’s Cuban band live in concert at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens. The young pianist was 9-year-old Dillon, who started learning to play piano just before lockdown, and was supported throughout with online tuition, thanks to GlobalGiving support. He is now working on classical piano grade 2 and plays in our Latin and Gig bands; he comes many times per week to learn music with us. 

Our new venue will enable us to build on our existing track record of providing music education that’s accessible to all social groups, and to reach young people amidst ongoing pressures on arts funding. With our grassroots approach, and in the same way that we developed our original academy at Kimber Road, we are growing organically and reflective of the community. We’re delighted to have already started weekly vocal and piano lessons at Embassy Gardens with 30 young students; after Easter, we will be offering violin and guitar lessons too. Our new music education space will enable us to double our capacity to enable 700 children and young people across both sites, per week, to learn with us at World Heart Beat. 

In January, to support families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, we launched our Bursary campaign to provide free music tuition and instruments for children and young people. More families than ever are struggling to meet everyday bills and paying for music lessons isn’t always possible. The campaign seeks to ‘level up’ by removing barriers to participation and calls on people and businesses to give the gift of music to a child.  

World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens is also a place for young people to take their love of music one step further by gaining experience in the industry and progressing their music careers.  Following a successful pilot last year, in February we ran our second season of EMERGE, our flagship music industry training programme aimed at helping young people (aged 16-25 years) develop sustainable careers in music.  We continue to offer free training and masterclasses covering topics like music production, working as an independent artist and building your community, as well as opportunities for 1-1 career focused mentoring and coaching. 

In March, we announced our new partnership with PPL, the UK’s music licensing company for over 130,000 performers and recording rightsholders. PPL have become the first 'Young Artist Recording Sponsor’ enabling six diverse young emerging musicians to record for the first time, free of charge. The announcement follows the launch of the debut EP from Asa Martinson, the first artist in the programme, at his concert at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens. Normally cost-prohibitive, the recordings will give the musicians, all of whom study music, train in music industry skills and perform at World Heart Beat, a foot-up in their careers. All recordings will take place on World Heart Beat’s new record label. As a registered charity which relies on support from businesses, trusts, individuals and foundations to continue our work to help transform the lives of young people, we are hugely grateful to PPL for supporting us in this way!  

We look forward to welcoming you to our intimate music venue – there really is something for everyone!

https://worldheartbeat.org/whats-on/. 

A huge thank you as always for your continued support.  

Happy and relaxing holidays to all this Easter!

Dear Friends,  

We are overjoyed to announce that our second music venue, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens is now open! It’s been a long journey since 2018 when we were awarded the space by Wandsworth Council and Ecoworld Ballymore to become its newest cultural anchor and to create a new educational and performance venue in Nine Elms. 

World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens marks the first time London has welcomed a new community concert hall in the capital since 2008. As well as our flagship 200-capacity concert hall, the building will enable World Heart Beat to build on its existing track record of providing music education that is accessible to all social groups, enabling us to double our current teaching capacity, alongside our Kimber Road venue each year.  

Cutting edge technology and state of the art facilities (including the first UK auditorium to install the revolutionary 360-degree d&b immersive Soundscape EnScene system, as used on tours by Bjork and Brian Eno, as well as recording studios, teaching spaces and outside broadcast studio), will enable us to introduce young people to a huge breadth of music industry skills whilst also providing an unparalleled experience for artists and audiences alike.  

Created for the diverse community of inner south-west London, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens will be a ‘cultural anchor’ for the area offering well-established music teaching as well as a busy programme of affordable concerts presented by both emerging and established international artists.Curated by World Heart Beat founder Sahana Gero MBE, the music programme brings together internationally-recognised musicians as well as emerging artists to showcase the worlds of jazz, contemporary classical, and folk. The 10-week season begins on 20 January 2023 with Julian Joseph’s Trio. However, preceding this, we have a special fundraising gala on Tuesday 17 January with the incredible pianist Yevgeny Sudbin performing a wonderful programme with all the proceeds going to the charity’s bursaries programme, to support disadvantaged children and low-income families with music instruments and lessons. 

Furthering our community outreach within Wandsworth, in mid-October we took part in the Battersea Power Station launch to celebrate the momentous opening of this legendary, Grade II listed building, almost 40 years after its closure. Positioning itself as one of London’s most exciting retail and leisure destinations, we provided a day of musical entertainment including performances from our gig bands and our EMERGE musicians to over 2,000 members of the public. 

In November, we took part in the Lord Mayor’s Parade; a chance for our New Orleans Band musicians to perform with tremendous energy, passion and gusto on a World Heart Beat decorated horse-drawn bus (kindly funded by ITC). We were interviewed by BBC1 aspart of over 6,500 people taking part in the 3-mile-longparade to welcome the new Lord Mayor of London. It was a hugely joyous and entertaining occasion withover 250 horses and 133 floats (50 of which are decorated) taking part in the celebrations! 

We also took part in the EFG London Jazz Festival with a joint performance with the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy (JJJA) at Club 606 featuring ‘Together we go Forward’ - a chance for our young jazz musicians to really swing and showcase their love and learning of jazz. The partnering of both academies ensures the shared enrichment and creation of more well-rounded young musicians who benefit through learning, gaining experience and performance opportunities – it was a truly uplifting performance and a pleasure to take part once again at this iconic London jazz venue. 

Last month, we celebrated the 51st State Band’s annual performance at the Putney Arts Theatre. Now in its 20th year, the 51st State Band represents the spirit of the academy by bringing young gifted musicians of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to learn and play together. The concert consisted of an inspiring and vibrant music programme of jazz, rock, soul and film scores. This year, an added highlight was Cuban violinist Omar Puente and the Heart Beat Latin band who provided some exceptional Latin rhythms and beats. The evening was a huge success and completely sold-out - once again a festive and unmissable event in the Wandsworth arts calendar for the local community and families alike.  

To celebrate the start of the holiday season, the Word Heart Children’s Choir and the World Heart Beat Young Professionals took part in live performances of classical seasonal songs alongside a street food market and festive trade stalls as part of the Embassy Gardens Festive Fair. It was a cheery and heart-warming way to welcome in Christmas with plenty of audience singalong participation too! 

Finally, why not celebrate arts and culture in London by booking yourself or gifting a family member to a Christmas present with a concert at World Heart Beat at Embassy Gardens? Choose from jazz, contemporary classical, folk and much more! https://worldheartbeat.org/whats-on/ 

Wishing you all a very festive, joyful and relaxing Christmas and New Year Season with friends, family and loved ones and looking forward to sharing further music news and inspiration for 2023! 

With best wishes, Sahana x 

Dear friends and supporters, 

From celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, launching our Nine Elms Sessions’ music videos, hosting an open day and film screenings, hosting international Columbian musicians and educators with a two-week residency as part of our Planet Harmony project (including workshops in making musical instruments out of recycled materials as well as collaborations with local schools to explore themes of social, racial and climate justice through music) and launching a pop-up music space in an alcove in Nine Elms – it's fair to say it’s been a busy few months for World Heart Beat! 

On Sunday 5th June, our musicians were invited to perform at Wandsworth’s Big Jubilee Lunch to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. We provided five different musical performances including a piano party, Indian music featuring Tabla maestro, Alok Verma and supreme vocalist Raj Heer, a New Orleans Second Line Marching Band, plus contemporary gig and jazz bands in five of Wandsworth’s beautiful parks.  Local residents had the perfect opportunity to enjoy live music and picnics al fresco with friends, family and the community whilst celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee achievement! 

World Heart Beat once again took part in the hugely popular annual Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF) Festival, a celebration of culture and creativity which takes over the Wandsworth theatres, parks and streets. This year, we were invited to open the festival with our New Orleans band leading the way as we all followed the course of the River Thames through new, regeneration areas and local developments in Battersea and Nine Elms. It was truly uplifting and joyous; we even made it onto the front cover of the summer edition of the Wandsworth magazine, Brightside! 

In June, we launched our final Nine Elms Sessions on our YouTube channel - a compilation of six music videos celebrating the Nine Elmslocal community whilst reflecting on the area’s heritage, present identity and promising future.  We showcased the Sessions at the plush Cinema in the Arches at Battersea Power Station, as well as at one of our fundraising events to help try to secure the final funding required for our new music education centre and concert hall, opening in Nine Elms in October. If you’re able to help fund our ‘last mile’, or know a business who might be able to help, please do visit our website to find out more.   

We held another successful Try an Instrument - Open Day at our Kimber Rd residence, welcoming over 40 new faces to find out first hand from our young people and teachers the benefits of learning music at World Heart Beat. It was lovely to see so many enthusiastic young people (and parents!) from all backgrounds trying out instruments and asking questions about learning here at the academy.  

In May, we invited Mr Klaje, a collective of musicians and educators hailing from Cali, Colombia for a residency to deliver workshops across eight schools in Wandsworth. The collective initially began as a percussion group that used recycled materials to make music and over time, they started performing in Colombia and other countries of Latin America, sharing alternative lyrics that invite people to reflect on social and environmental issues. Since then, the group has engaged further with socially and environmentally engaged music projects, such as “The Rubbish Road”, a programme where they provided musical training and workshops to underserved and vulnerable groups, on how to make instruments using recycled materials and make music using them.  

The workshops were really well received by the students – they offered warm up activities and fun games, which saw them acquire practical skills in listening, rhythm, percussion, vocals, and also social values like trusting, empathy, respect and collaboration. They then made instruments out of recycled materials, which at times were shakers or drums! They then came together to play music, accompanying Colombian folk music and reflecting on the day, with a focus on empathy, consideration and the power of music to help make a difference to the world! 

In July, we launched our Planet Harmony Project in collaboration with Griffin Primary School and Harris Academy, Battersea exploring the themes of social, racial and climate justice through music.  Winston Rollins, Trombonist, Writer and Producer taught Trombone and Trumpet to twenty-two Year 4, 5 and 6 students at Griffin Primary School, whilst Alok Verma taught tabla to students at Harris Academy. The project was showcased at Griffin Primary School’s city garden – a beautiful, peaceful outdoor space – and an excellent location to showcase the students’ learnings, alongside recycling workshops for members of the public. 

We also took part once again in the uplifting, family-friendly Happy Streets Festival around Thessaly Road, Nine Elms. This one-day event takes inspiration from the nearby ‘Happy Street’ Thessaly Road bridge design with themes of happiness and wellbeing. The festival included a line-up of live music, theatre, craft and wellbeing activities and performances for all ages. Performances came from our gig band, our marching New Orleans band, as well as instrument making workshops at the Yvonne Carr Centre Garden using recycled materials – it was great to see all ages getting involved and making some rhythmic sounds and beats from the instruments! 

Furthering our outreach to schools in Wandsworth, Brazilian singer-songwriter Aleh Ferreira (best known as the front man of legendary Brazilian funk band, Banda Black Rio)has been teaching Viola Caipira (Brazilian 10-stringed guitar) to sixteen Year 7 students at Harris Academy, Battersea as part of the World Heart Beat Online Music Programme. Artist-educator Pepe Barcello has taught an Intro to Latin American music, as well as reaching out to Awesome Adventure King Henry’s Walk, a charity with the mission to empower children and young people to achieve their potential and improve their health, well-being and resilience.  

To celebrate Make Music Day (Tuesday 21st June) World Heart Beat launched Music is in the Air – a pop-up space offering FREE music lessons in Nine Elms throughout the summer until the end of August. The alcove includes a piano and drums set located at Alcove 3, Merchants Way, the colourful walking route which runs through New Covent Garden Market between Nine Elms Tube station, Arch 42 and Ponton Road. It also offers the opportunity for musicians to use the space to practice together, or hold a concert, free of charge! We were delighted when Pianist and Composer Howard Blake (his well-known work includes his soundtrack for Channel 4’s 1982 film, The Snowman) ‘christened’ our piano to Nine Elms’ passers-by. 

We hope you have a peaceful and relaxing summer! 

With my best wishes, 

Sahana  

World Heart Beat has had a busy and productive start to the year, some of the key highlights of which we’d like to share with you below.  

In February, after much behind the scenes collaboration, brainstorming, site explorations, rehearsals, filming and production, World Heart Beat introduced The Nine Elms Sessions – a series of six music videos celebrating the Nine Elms local community whilst reflecting on the area’s heritage, present identity and promising future. The music videos feature the next generation of musical talent from our academy, and were kindly co-supported by Wandsworth Council and Developer EcoWorld Ballymore’s Embassy Gardens, the new business and residential quarter in Nine Elms.  

The videos play homage to the Nine Elms’ Portuguese and Latin communities with an energetic samba parade; tell the history of the Nine Elms docks as a destination of choice for Irish settlers; salute the Vauxhall-born, early aviator and aircraft manufacturer Hilda Hewlett; commemorate the United Nation’s International Day of Happiness; feature the iconic Ramport Studios (where The Who recorded its Quadrophenia album) as well as showcasing snapshots of the Nine Elms landscape, including The U.S Embassy, The New Covent Garden Market and Battersea Power Station. 

This summer, World Heart Beat will be welcoming individuals to its new state-of-the-art digital music education and concert venue in Nine Elms, featuring a 200-capacity auditorium and industry standard recording studio in advance of its official opening in October this year. Please visit our website here to find out more about the project and to enjoy the music videos for yourselves! 

Last month, we launched EMERGE, our first-ever music industry intensive course for emerging talent (aged 16-25 years) keen to develop their music careers. The event was supported by Stride, an organisation which encourages creativity and innovation to thrive in South London. Music Industry professionals including Domino, Reprezent Radio, Jyoty, Anjelo Disons, Lex Amor, and Shireen Valentina took part in panel discussions, networking opportunities, interviews and practical workshops ranging from beat-making, filming for music videos to learning about copyrights. It provided an excellent opportunity for young creatives to be inspired and to learn more about the UK music industry, as well as gaining skills and cultivating new networks. EMERGE ensures that the vital experiences, knowledge and imaginations of Black, culturally diverse and female talent are placed front and centre in the future of the music industries. This summer, we’ll be holding an 8-week training programme delivered with industry leader partners – watch this space to find out more!  

We also launched our Planet Harmony Project, which explores the themes of social, racial and climate justice through music. Working in collaboration with Griffin Primary School in Nine Elms, Trombonist, Writer and Producer Winston Rollins (The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Aswad, Jamiroquai, Courtney Pine, Jool Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra) is leading a 12-week course with 22 young people who have little or no musical experience, but plenty of enthusiasm! The project also includes an introduction to samba rhythms, making instruments out of recycled materials as well as writing songs.  

Other exciting news to report is the launch of our online Piano Department – please subscribe to our YouTube channel and see some of the exceptional performances from five of our emerging pianists performing Bach, Beethoven andProkofiev. The event took place at the beautiful Coach House Pianos, and was hosted by award-winning composer and World Heart Beat’s Head of Keyboard and Composition, Michael Csányi-Wills. 

Thank you as always for your support – we look forward to updating you again soon! 

It’s been a wonderful time as ever at World Heart Beat with community events in Nine Elms, eye-wateringly good fundraising success, the launch of our Latin and South Asian Online Programme and even performing in the annual Lord Mayor’s Show on a horse-drawn bus, performing to a crowd of more than 500,000 spectators!  

First and foremost, we are delighted to announce an award of £800,000 from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) towards the creation of a vibrant new music education centre and concert venue in Nine Elms, to launch in Autumn 2022.  Just one of six grants awarded in London, the funding is an endorsement of the project, which is situated in an area of major regeneration and will help benefit thousands of young people, many living in disadvantaged conditions in neighbouring estates, across the wider borough of Wandsworth, and beyond. 

The public concert hall, the first to open in London since 2008, will programme an exciting mix of emerging, professional and international headline artists performing music from across the globe. To reach our target, we have now launched the final phase of our fundraising campaign, to raise the final £600,000 to enable us to fully realise our vision. Anyone interested in supporting can find out more  by visiting www.worldheartbeat.org/embassygardens where you can also find the ‘shopping list’ and how to donate.  

A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: “Securing £800,000 of the Levelling Up Fund is a huge milestone for Wandsworth Council and World Heart Beat. As ‘cultural anchor’ partners, this money will go towards cementing a musical base into the very fabric of Nine Elms, a place that is fast becoming a destination for arts and cultural organisations. We look forward to continuing the fantastic work that World Heart Beat are already doing in the Nine Elms community to reach new audiences and bring music to our vibrant neighbourhood.” 

We have taken part in an abundance of community events in Nine Elms to introduce and help strengthen our presence in the area before we open our second venue next year. Oli Savill, Basement Jaxx percussionist led two drumming workshops for World Heart Beat at St. George's Thessaly Church on the Patmore Estate; young people and families in the area took part and were encouraged to join in the fun by learning Afro-Cuban beats.  

At the end of August, we took part in the Latin Jam Festival, a free, family-friendly weekend event with live music and dance which took place at the Black Cab Coffee Company, a riverside piazza venue overlooking the inlet dock and the River Thames in Nine Elms. World Heart Beat put on Brazilian Rhythm workshops and a performance for young people led by Charlles Andre Souza De Almeida (known as Charlles Junior) and his Samba Band. 

At the end of October, we took part in the Line of Light Festival, a weekend event to celebrate the communities living above the extension of the new Northern line tube, taking audiences across a 3.2km walking route between Battersea Power Station and the Oval with projections across buildings, accompanied by soundscapes. Our gig band musicians performed to an evening crowd at New Union Square, Embassy Gardens, one of two Festival hubs with other free family friendly community activities, including arts workshops and street theatre. 

In mid-November, courtesy of the Rotary International, our New Orleans Band second line band took part in the Lord Mayor’s Show, enthusiastically joining in the celebrations of 800 years of pageantry.  Our musicians made their way through the City of London whilst performing on an open top, horse-drawn bus to a crowd of over 500,000 spectators! 

Last month, we launched our free online music programme, World Heart Beat Online, four curated music courses honouring Latin American and South Asian music and their communities, for young people (aged 7-25 years). Internationally acclaimed musicians Alok Verma, Pepe Barcellos, Almir Pessoa and Jonathan Mayer are leading the introductory and specialist courses, with sitar and caipira  instruments available on loan for free. There's still time to sign up, so please share if you know anyone, or any communities, who may be interested in taking part.  

If you are a cinema-goer, look out for the latest ZEDRA ad featuring our young musicians and our Jazz programme Leader trumpet-extraordinaire, Byron Wallen; they were invited to be part of ZEDRA’s  #HeroesWorkHere ad campaign, to shine a light on its true heroes, including those at our academy! 

We wish everyone a very happy festive period and prosperous 2022! We would like to say thank you for all your support, which is invaluable in helping make the dream of World Heart Beat a reality.