One of the world’s leading advocates of quality music education, Nicola Benedetti, has launched a new video series, ‘With Nicky’, as the first stage in her plan to establish a charitable organisation, the Benedetti Foundation.
Nicola Benedetti has been committed to education projects since the age of 15, working with over 2,000 students and 500 teachers in the past 12 months alone.
Over the coming year, the Scottish concert violinist intends to formalise her vision and expand her commitment to the education of young people and the supporting of music teachers by establishing the Benedetti Foundation, which will provide enrichment, inspiration and variation to the UK’s education system and communities.
The ambition is to carry out a series of orchestra-based weekend workshops designed to address, in equal part, the needs of young musicians and teachers.
About the ‘With Nicky’ video series
‘With Nicky’ is an online series of educational videos with information, guidance and support for young musicians throughout their musical and personal development. The content of the videos will become an integral part of the work of the Benedetti Foundation and will also provide information for teachers looking to support their work with new ideas.
The videos mark the beginning of a long-term project that hopes to be a useful resource and friendly support for young musicians, amateur musicians, educationalists and anyone interested in instrumental music across the world.
‘With Nicky’ will eventually cover a broad range of questions and themes but the first videos focus on Nicola Benedetti’s own instrument – the violin.
The videos cover topics including:
- Back to Basics
- Develop your Sound
- Vibrato
- Talking about Thumbs
- Practice
- Motivations and Inspirations
- Investigating Intonation
Phase One of the series is released every Tuesday from 29 January 2019 at midday GMT on Nicola Benedetti’s YouTube channel.
The first video is an introduction to the series and can be viewed below.
‘Building discipline, professionalism, concentration and perseverance’
Nicola Benedetti said:
‘The Benedetti Foundation will aim to work with young people on building discipline, professionalism, concentration and perseverance as well as addressing the deeply important emotional, social, internal and psychological challenges young people face through the act of conscientious music-making and collective activity. We will discuss what it is to patiently listen, to be fully present, to express thoughts and feelings with clarity and integrity and to empathetically support each other to achieve a collective goal.
‘50% of the activity carried out by the organisation will be for teachers. Teaching music well is an enormous responsibility and is hugely challenging. We are fiercely committed to providing meaningful support, extensive information and a sense of uplift, inspiration and respite to as many teachers as possible. Furthermore, we wish to help create a greater culture of public acknowledgement, appreciation and celebration of their work. I am passionate about promoting music education practices which encourage both musical and civic betterment.
‘I’m deeply excited and somewhat relieved to finally be launching this video series. I meet so many fantastic young musicians and teachers across the world and yearn for more regular interaction with all of them. It is tough to practise, it’s difficult to stay motivated and to know the best way forward. I have had the huge fortune in my life of being exposed to some of the world’s greatest violin and music teachers and I want to make as much of the information available to as many people as possible.’
The ‘With Nicky’ videos are supported by the European String Teachers Association UK (ESTA UK), MiSST – The Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme and Oasby Music Group.
Header photo: Nicola Benedetti at iTunes Festival, Roundhouse, Camden, London © Danny North
