EMI Music Sound Foundation
EMI Music Sound Foundation is an independent music education charity, established in 1997 to celebrate the centenary of EMI Records and to improve young peoples' access to music education in the UK & Ireland.
Tom’s Big Success!
In March 2009 Tom Bradshaw was awarded £750 from the EMI Music Sound Foundation towards a drum-kit purchase. The award has made a big difference in Tom’s musical progress and he is now 17, is in his second year at college and takes his A levels in the summer.
After the award Tom went on to gain his grade 8 with Distinction with LCM in Drum Kit in winter 2010 and then Grade 8 with merit in Xylophone in spring 2011.
Tom is now principle percussionist with several Hampshire Music Service Ensembles, namely: the Hampshire County Youth Band, Romsey Area Youth Jazz Orchestra and Hamble Area Youth Band. Tom was also principle with the Hampshire County Youth Wind Band but dropped this in Sept 2011. As well as this, Tom plays in several college ensembles. Whilst at school his band won £500 for their school playing one of their own compositions in an area ‘battle of the bands’ and came second in a regional ‘battle of the bands’.
In summer 2011, Helen Walton – Assistant Head of Hampshire Music Service – asked if Tom would be willing to have his photo taken to represent HMS for a ‘visit Hampshire 2012’ project as she said every time she saw Tom play he seemed to enjoy himself so much and always had a smile on his face! Tom agreed and a website has just gone ‘live’ with his picture on. There are 7 images of young people engaged in different activities/venues and all the images are very striking, you can either wait for the website to scroll through or click on the numbers to find Tom, then click on the image of Tom (the only one playing drums/involved with music) to read a short bio’ and find links, go to http://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/plan-your-visit/hampshire-2012. The drum kit Tom is playing in the picture is the kit Tom put his ‘EMI Music Sound Foundation Award’ towards; it has been well used and has even been to Austria with a tour of the Hamble Area Youth Band last summer.
On Tuesday Dec’ 20th Tom had an audition at the Leeds College of Music and 2 days later had an email offering him a place, this is for the music degree course in ‘popular music performance’ where he will study drumming. Tom is really pleased as Leeds was his first choice, the best Christmas present he could have. So barring disaster at A levels Tom will be off to Leeds in September.
Tom decided on this course as whilst he plays tuned percussion, drum kit is his real passion and on visiting Birmingham Conservatoire decided he didn’t want to spend 3 or 4 yrs practicing tuned percussion when he’d rather be playing kit. Thus, though he plans to keep his xylophone playing going whilst at Leeds, he wants to find a tutor to do it alongside his drum kit.
We wish Tom every success at Leeds and in the future!
