NEWS
Stay up to date with our latest news and stories from the Future Talent community
Celebrating Katharine’s Legacy: The Concert
Our recent concert at Sinfonia Smith Square celebrated the legacy of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, one year after her passing. Read about how we remembered her through a legacy of music.
Future Talent receives donation from Yorkshire Music Future Fund
Future Talent is joining forces with a North Yorkshire-based music charity to provide increased support for young musicians in Yorkshire and the North East.
We're taking part in Champions for Children 2026 - a match funding campaign running 2-16 June.
Our Masterclass with Matilda Lloyd
We were delighted to have renowned trumpet player and our ambassador Matilda Lloyd at St Gabriel’s in Pimlico for a masterclass with our young musicians.
Our Masterclass with Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Our young musicians recently enjoyed an unforgettable masterclass with internationally acclaimed cellist and Future Talent ambassador Sheku Kanneh-Mason at the Royal Academy of Music.
Over the last 3 months, Future Talent has had a volunteer, Julie, helping out in the office taking on all sorts of jobs! We interviewed Julie to see what her experience was like with Future Talent.
Future Talent Awards: Introducing Two-Year Awards for Young Musicians
We’re excited to share an important update to the Future Talent Programme as we open applications for the next round of awards on Wednesday 25th February!
After a long hiatus, Future Talent are returning to in-person competition, and you're invited to watch the final!
The Harvey Parker Award 2025/26
We are pleased to announce that bassoonist Nahuel has been named the recipient of this year’s Harvey Parker Award!
Talented young musicians face shrinking opportunities and rising costs. Your donation to the Big Give Christmas Challenge can provide lessons, instruments, and the chance to perform. Stand with them and let their music be heard.
Indian Classical Award Winner 2025/26
We are delighted to announce that 16-year-old Yorkshire musician Sukhraj has been named Future Talent’s recipient of the prestigious Indian Classical Award.
Our 2024/25 Impact Report is Here! We are excited to share our 2024/25 Impact Report, a snapshot of the work we have done and the lives we have touched over the past year. Our Impact Report is a collection of stories, milestones, and real-world impact that show why our mission matters
Future Talent at 11 Downing Street
We were thrilled to welcome friends, trustees, advisors and long-time supporters of Future Talent to 11 Downing Street for a special evening celebrating the incredible young musicians we work with.
This October, young musicians from across the UK came together for two inspiring days of music-making at the Big Meet. The events, Big Meet North and Big Meet South, brought together young musicians for collaborative workshops, performances, and discussions about their musical journeys.
Future Talent Performs at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music
We were honoured to be invited by Anna Sabine MP to perform at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music at the Houses of Parliament.
Future Talent Performs at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music
We were honoured to be invited by Anna Sabine MP to perform at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music at the Houses of Parliament.
Remembering Katharine, Duchess of Kent: Future Talent Co-founder
22 February 1933 - 4 September 2025. From classroom teacher to champion of disadvantaged young musicians.
We Did It! Thank You for Helping Us Reach Our Goal!
We’re delighted to announce that, as of midday 17th June 2025, our Champions for Children fundraising campaign has officially reached its target!
Future Talent chair and co-founder Nicholas Robinson awarded OBE in King’s Birthday Honours
Future Talent is delighted to share the news that our co-founder and chair, Nicholas Robinson, has been awarded an OBE in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List 2025. The honour recognises his exceptional service to disadvantaged young people, charitable fundraising and music.
Young Musicians Visit Bastille Studios and Blackstar Agency
A group of our emerging singer-songwriters, drummers and guitarists recently had the chance to take part in a day designed to give them a deeper look into both the creative and business sides of the music industry.
Our next match funded campaign is fast approaching! Save the dates: between 3rd-17th June 2025 your donation will be doubled.
Future Talent is proud to announce the release of RISE: Past, Present and Future Talent, a groundbreaking album showcasing original compositions by exceptional young musicians from diverse backgrounds across the UK. Set for release on streaming platforms on April 11, 2025, the album celebrates 20 years of Future Talent's commitment to nurturing and supporting gifted young artists from low-income backgrounds.
Future Talent Releases Debut Single “Hold Me Down”
London, England – Future Talent is thrilled to announce the release of Hold Me Down, the debut single from their forthcoming album, RISE: Past, Present and Future Talent. The track, composed by 17-year-old singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimmy Judge from Bedford, is performed by his band, The Greensands, alongside young musicians from Future Talent and the Encore Summer School.
Royal Commonwealth Service Performance
On March 10, 2025, Westminster Abbey hosted the annual Commonwealth Day Service, a vibrant celebration of unity among the 56 member nations under the theme "Together We Thrive." Future Talent were invited to perform as part of the pre-service.
Workshop with Sheku Kanneh-Mason at the Royal Academy of Music
Future Talent musicians had the incredible opportunity to participate in a masterclass with world-renowned cellist and Future Talent ambassador, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, at the Royal Academy of Music.
Future Talent Musicians Perform at Charity Dinner
Future Talent musicians performed at 'An Evening of Stories'; a dinner organised by The Tides Foundation in Notting Hill.
In this dynamic workshop led by multi-instrumentalist Tamsin Elliott, young musicians from across three organisations were introduced to traditional folk music and dancing!
West End Musical Director Graham Hurman discusses his journey
The Musical Director of Oliver! on the West End, Graham Hurman, hosted a webinar to speak to our young musicians about life on the West End.
Double Your Impact This December
We're thrilled to be participating in this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge again, running from 3rd to 10th December 2024. This incredible initiative offers a unique opportunity to make your generosity go further, with all donations made during this period doubled. That’s right—every pound you donate will be matched, giving your contribution twice the impact.
A Night of Music, Art, and Inspiration at our 20th birthday
Future Talent marked an extraordinary milestone: 20 years of supporting and nurturing young musical talent. We had a birthday party to celebrate, which took place at the Philip Mould Gallery. Surrounded by stunning works of art, it was the perfect stage for a memorable evening.
Save the Date: Make Twice the Impact with Future Talent’s Big Give Campaign
The festive season is almost here, and at Future Talent, we’re preparing for something truly special. This year, on the back of our 20th birthday, we’re inviting you to be part of the milestone moment: The Big Give Christmas Campaign!
Meet Daisy, the very first beneficiary of Future Talent. As we celebrate our 20th birthday, we're looking back to the very beginning.
Sitar Star Subhan honoured with Indian Classical Award
Subhan, a talented 14-year-old sitar player and student of South Asian Arts UK, has been awarded the esteemed Indian Classical Award from Future Talent.
Introducing Clarice, The New Recipient of Future Talent’s Harvey Parker Award
Rise: Past, Present and Future Talent
Join us for a magical evening at RISE: Past, Present and Future Talent, an extraordinary concert by Future Talent's young musicians, curated by the acclaimed Nitin Sawhney CBE. 22nd April 2025, at the Roundhouse, London
Read our Impact Report for 2024 to see how Future Talent has helped impact young musical talent across the UK.
Future Talent at the House of Lords
Future Talent Celebrates New Advisory Group at the House of Lords, with performances from our young musicians and alumni.
Future Talent heads into 20th Anniversary Year with new advisory group
As Future Talent approaches its 20th anniversary this November, the charity is marking this significant milestone with the launch of a new Advisory Group. Comprised of leading figures from music, media, business, and the arts, the group will offer strategic guidance and support to shape the charity’s future and expand its impact on nurturing gifted young musicians from low-income backgrounds.
The Big Meet: A Musical Gathering of Future Talent
On 6th October 2024, Future Talent hosted the 'Big Meet', an exciting workshop designed to bring together young musicians from different parts of the UK. Held simultaneously in two iconic musical venues—the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Royal Academy of Music in London—this event was a day filled with creativity, learning, and collaboration.
Future Talent Welcomes Four New Trustees to Strengthen Its Mission
Future Talent is excited to announce the appointment of four new Trustees to its board, furthering our mission to support young musicians from disadvantaged backgrounds. These new Trustees bring a wealth of experience from the worlds of business, music, education, and social impact, all united by a shared commitment to empowering young people through music.
teamArchie Brass Award recipients 2024/25
Two recipients of the teamArchie Brass Award have been selected. They'll recieve an enhanced financial bursary and one-to-one mentoring with Matilda Lloyd. Meet our first ever recipients of the award!
The latest Coombs Scholar has been announced, meet our new scholar Teagan who has been selected for this prestigeous award
A Memorable Performance at Budleigh Music Festival
A trip to the coast with Future Talent! Performing a World Premiere at Budleigh Music Festival.
Future Talent Midsummer Gala: A Night Over the London Skyline
A glorious night of entertainment from Future Talent young musicians as they performed at the Midsummer Gala.
Champions for Children – Thank you!
We managed to reach our donation target - thank you for your support.
Champions for Children Campaign
Support Talented Young Musicians: Join the Champions for Children Campaign 4th-18th June 2024
Our second Big Meet of this year, including a workshop with Seckou Keita
A staggering amount of donations to our appeal - thank you!
Our video with Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Watch our brand new video, taken at the masterclass ran by ambassador Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Future Talent teams up with Create Music
Future Talent and Create Music are uniting to support disadvantaged young musicians in Sussex
Please join us in wishing Katharine, Duchess of Kent a very happy birthday!
Our New Brass Award with teamArchie
Our new award for brass players is live and you can apply now. In partnership with teamArchie
Future Talent's young musicians are spending their week recording tracks for the upcoming 20th Anniversary Album.
Tune in to hear Future Talent's feature on the BBC Radio 4 Appeal!
Masterclass with Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Our recent masterclass with ambassador and cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Our first event of 2023/24 took place at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) in Birmingham last Sunday, where we were excited to meet lots of our new young musicians for the first time!
We are delighted to share our Impact Report for 2023, which highlights some key statistics and quotes from our young musicians about the different ways in which our support has impacted them.
In July, we spent the day at Far Heath Recording Studio in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside filming and recording some original arrangements by our young musicians...
Gala concert at St James’s Palace
Our supporters were delighted by a special evening of performances from a host of the talented young musicians supported by Future Talent.
We’re proud to announce that to mark our 20th Anniversary as a charity in 2024, our current crop of amazing young musicians will have the chance to compose and record their own album of original material, and to perform it live on the stage of London’s Roundhouse in 2025.
In the Spotlight: Future Talent’s Singers
While many are aware of our work in supporting instrumentalists, not everyone is aware that we also provide support to young singers...
Happy Birthday to Future Talent co-founder, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent
Join us in celebrating Katharine's birthday with our new video which captures memories of her work with Future Talent since our foundation in 2004, featuring music from one of our young composers, Maddy.
2023/24 Applications Open 14 February-11 April 2023
Apply for support for the 2023/24 academic year from Tuesday 14 February until 11 April 2023.
Cello Masterclass with Sheku Kanneh-Mason
It was a day to remember for some of our young cellists as Ambassador Sheku Kanneh-Mason delivered a Future Talent Masterclass at the Royal Academy of Music.
Clare Cook joins Future Talent as CEO
Clare Cook joins Future Talent bringing a wealth of experience in the music education sector and expertise in strategic leadership, fundraising and communications.
Since our foundation in 2004, our vision has been to achieve an equal reality for young musicians across the UK, regardless of their financial background. We continue to strive towards this goal today.
Rekesh Chauhan joins Future Talent
We are delighted to announce pianist and composer Rekesh Chauhan has joined the Future Talent family.
The Harvey Parker Award for Woodwind
Starting in 2022/23, the Harvey Parker Award for Woodwind will be awarded to one young musician each year, in remembrance of Harvey.
Mentoring, Workshops and Opportunities in 2022
Take a look at our programme activities and opportunities so far this year...
A special evening at Lancaster House
Supporters were enchanted by performances from six of our gifted young musicians at a special event at Lancaster House.
Applications Open for our 2022/23 Programmes
Applications for our Development Programme and Junior Programme are open until 1 July 2022.
We have relocated to a new office for the remainder of 2022 and beyond...
Virtual Residential Returns for a Second Year
We are delighted to share that our three-day Virtual Residential will be delivered for the second time in February 2022.
Nishat Khan joins Future Talent
We are delighted to share news of the latest Ambassador to join Future Talent – renowned sitar player and composer, Ustad Nishat Khan.
Indian Classical Scholarship Launched at Charterhouse Gala
On 26 October 2021, we hosted our first gala in two years at The Charterhouse, featuring a world prèmiere from Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Nishat Khan, including performances from a variety of our talented young musicians.
Applications open for 2021/22 Future Talent Voces8 Awards
Providing support to eight young singers, the VOCES8 Future Talent awards are open until 11 October
Coombs Scholarship Applications Open
Applications for our Coombs Scholarship are open until 16 September.
Launching our third Virtual Workshop Series
We are thrilled to announce that our third Virtual Workshop Series will launch this week, featuring a diverse range of opportunities for our young musicians.
Katharine: ‘The Compassionate Duchess’
Join us in celebrating the life of Katharine Kent, Co-Founder of Future Talent, with this special programme broadcasted by Channel 5.
Our Commitment to the Global Goals
We are committing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals along with governments, businesses and individuals globally to help reach crucial targets by 2030.
Applications Open for our 2021/22 Programmes
Applications for our Development Programme and Junior Programme are now open until Thursday 15 July 2021.
Thank You from a Young Musician
Following an extraordinary year, many of our musicians have let us know the impact our support has had on their lives. We want to pass on that message of thanks to you, our supporters.
Applications open for northern-based Relationship Manager
We are seeking an outstanding individual to join our Relationships Team ahead of our Liverpool office opening later this year.
Introducing our Virtual Residential
Taking place over three days, our Virtual Residential will comprise a range of workshops, classes and lectures, open to all of our young musicians
New Partnership with D’Addario
We are excited to work closely with D'Addario, a global manufacturer of music accessories
Kicking off 2021 with Virtual One-to-One Mentoring
We are very excited to be starting 2021 by delivering over 40 hours of one-to-one mentoring throughout January.
Join us for our Virtual Christmas Concert!
Join us for our Virtual Christmas Concert on 17 December to celebrate an extraordinary year of achievement and impact, sponsored by Mishcon de Reya.
Help us double donations this Christmas
Join us for our annual Big Give campaign as we share stories from across our community and prepare to double our impact in the build-up to December 1st.
Introducing our first-ever Virtual Masterclass Series!
Our new Virtual Masterclass Series will provide our 90 young musicians with exciting, unique and interactive opportunities to learn from leading music practitioners across a range of instruments, styles and musical disciplines.
Introducing our second Virtual Workshop Series!
We are delighted to announce our second Virtual Workshop Series will launch next week, featuring Guy Johnston, VOCES8 and Soothsayers!
Our Virtual Workshop Series implemented at the beginning of lockdown proved to be a universal success.
#StayHomeTogether Virtual Concert Raises £3.5k
Our #StayHomeTogether Virtual Concert was an opportunity for our musicians and supporters to celebrate in music bringing us together from our respective homes, when we couldn't be together in person.
Applications Open for our New Junior Programme
Our new Junior Programme 2020/21 will support musicians under 13 at an earlier stage of their musical development with financial bursaries and a range of development opportunities.
Introducing our #StayHomeTogether Concert!
On 18 June, we will be hosting the #StayHomeTogether Virtual Concert featuring some of our talented young musicians.
Introducing our Virtual Workshop Series!
With social distancing likely to continue for a while, we have been developing an exciting series of Virtual Workshops for our musicians to participate in at home.
Earlier this week, Future Talent held its first ever virtual workshop for 6 of its supported musicians, led by percussionist Jez Wiles.
During these troubling times, we must all come together as one. In our belief, music is one of the most powerful tools for achieving that.
New Partnership with Music for Life
We are proud to announce our partnership with Music for Life, beginning our shared journey towards supporting more young musicians from low-income families.
Our applications for 2020/21 are open! Over the next few months, we will be looking for gifted young musician from a low-income background to support.
New Partnership with VOCES8 Foundation
We are proud to announce our partnership with the VOCES8 Foundation, launching our programme for a select number of gifted young musicians.
Sibling stars Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Masion played an exclusive concert for the charity.
Christmas Concert at St George’s, Hanover Square
2019 ends with a bang at Future Talent's Christmas Concert at St George's, Hanover Square.




































































































