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Ronnie Scott’s, the legendary London jazz club, has announced its 2019 Instrument Amnesty with the star-studded launch event taking place on Saturday 20 July 2019.
This year’s campaign is kickstarted by composer, pianist, bandleader and broadcaster, Jools Holland OBE, who will be part of a special call-to-action video to launch the campaign. Two-time Grammy award-nominated trumpet player, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, is donating a Bach TR500 student trumpet. He is joined by James McVey, lead guitarist of British pop rock band, The Vamps, and award-winning singer-songwriter, KT Tunstall, who will also be donating instruments.
Members of the public are encouraged to donate musical instruments and equipment, which are then distributed to music programmes working with young people in challenging environments in the UK and overseas. Donors are then given a tracking number so that they can stay informed of the final destination of their donations.
Since 2015, the initiative has donated 350 instruments to young people to help support their music education. Beneficiaries have included Play for Progress in Croydon, which delivers therapeutic and educational arts programmes for child refugees across London; Kinetika Bloco, a performance group in Tulse Hill which engages South London Youth with creative arts; and In Place of War in Manchester, which delivers arts programming for young people living in war zones.
In previous years, the Instrument Amnesty has been supported by the likes of Sam Smith, Al Jarreau, Lalah Hathaway, Nitin Sawhney and Norah Jones and some big name have already been confirmed for 2019.
Other musicians who are donating instruments to the amnesty include Blue Lab Beats, Rudi Cresswick, Project Karnak, Femi Koloseo from Ezra Collective and João Caetano.
2019 beneficiaries are set to include The Nucleo Project in North Kensington, a music programme that uses musical excellence as a way of enriching the lives of young people; Music in Detention, which brings together immigrant detainees with professional musicians to create and enjoy music; Mount Merrion Music Academy in Belfast, which offers accessible and affordable music tuition to the local community; and Parkwood Primary School in West Yorkshire.
International beneficiaries for 2019 will also include Brass for Africa in Uganda and Music Art Society in Nepal, which provide free musical tuition to the most vulnerable children, alongside DCMA in Zanzibar, which is the first and only music school on the island.
Fatine Boumaaz, Head of Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation, said:
‘Owning your own instrument is key to becoming an accomplished musician; unfortunately, this is not a cost all families and schools can afford.
‘Our initiative helps tackle this issue and we are glad to help support young aspiring musicians in their musical journey.’
The Vamps guitarist and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here star, James McVey, said:
‘I’m really excited to donate this guitar. In this crazy world of politics and technology I think it’s important to nurture passion for music. I hope it goes to a great cause.’
Members of the public who would like to donate a musical instrument to the 2019 Instrument Amnesty should ensure their instrument is in good condition before dropping it off at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club (47 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 4HT) on Saturday 20 July 2019 from 10am to 4pm.
For large instrument donations or for more information, please contact Fatine Boumaaz on fatine@ronniescotts.co.uk. All instruments are welcome, from piccolos to double basses!
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