University News Last updated 17 January
The Julian Bream Trust, a charitable trust that provides financial support to young, gifted music students, especially those who play the lute or guitar, has awarded £10,000 to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
The Trust, set up by the virtuoso English classical guitarist and lutenist Julian Bream prior to his death in 2020, has made the award to enhance the work of the Guitar and Historical Performance departments.
The funds will be spent on increasing provision and resources in historical plucked strings.
Heads of Guitar Studies and Historical Performance Mark Ashford and Martin Perkins respectively said that part of the award would go towards purchasing a 19th Century guitar and to set up a specific prize for the performance of early music on guitar.
Mark Ashford said: “We are very honoured and excited to have received this award from the Julian Bream Trust. Visiting Lecturers Mark Eden and Liz Pallet and I were all deeply inspired by Julian’s musical passion and artistry. Occasionally we were lucky enough to have received masterclasses from him in the 90s when we were students, and this legacy will help continue that inspiration for the next generation of classical guitarists and lutenists students here at RBC.”
Pictured: Virtuoso guitarist Julian Bream