More than 50 young musicians from 20 Leicestershire and Rutland schools are competing against each other to win a prestigious new award and musical equipment.

Young performers from 20 of the two counties’ state schools are taking part in the classical and traditional music competition, Reach for a Musical High, organised by Leicester law firm Howes Percival with support from Arts & Business East Midlands.

The pupil or group judged to be the stars of the show will win £1,500 of vouchers for their school’s music departments and £150 vouchers for themselves. The competition begins on Tuesday February 19 with auditions to find a dozen individuals or ensembles who will make it through to a grand final.

Paul Kerryson, the artistic director of Curve, Leicester’s new state of the art theatre, is one of the judges of the Reach for a Musical High Awards. He will also give a masterclass in performing to the children who make it through to the finale. Mr Kerryson said: “We are hoping to give a helping hand to some great emerging young talent from Leicestershire and Rutland. I’m looking forward to hearing a wide spectrum of instruments and voices, and helping to find a winner with a magical quality.”

Mr Kerryson said the masterclass would impart a bit of stage craft: “We know there are a lot of young people with talent; we want to help them give great performances.”

Reach for a Musical High has been organised by the Leicester office of East Midlands law firm Howes Percival LLP, as part of its community action programme, called Reach, to mark the first decade of its office in Leicester. The music competition has been developed with an investment from Arts and Business East Midlands.

Howes Percival partner Alison Macfarlane said: “We are very excited about holding this competition. The £1,500 prize for the winning school will help boost the enjoyment of music at that school. And we hope the competition will have been an enjoyable and stimulating challenge for all the pupils who take part.”

Alongside Mr Kerryson will be fellow judges Alison Macfarlane from Howes Percival and Andrea Carver from Arts & Business. All the finalists will be invited to the masterclass to be given by Paul Kerryson on Monday March 3.

The awards will culminate in a festival on Wednesday March 12, where pupils, parents and teachers will cheer on the dozen contenders. All three events – the auditions, masterclass and the final concert – are taking place at the University of Leicester’s Gilbert Murray Hall in Oadby.

Andrea Carver, Business Development Manager at Arts & Business East Midlands, said: “Reach for a Musical High is a fantastic project, I’m delighted that Arts & Business East Midlands has made an investment to help it take flight, and I’m very much looking forward to the judging. Howes Percival, through its Reach programme, is continuing to show how businesses working with arts organisations can bring about important rewards for the local community.”


If you would like any further details, to attend any of the events or to speak to someone at Howes Percival, please call Andy Gilgrist on 01536 772256.

The schools taking part at the audition stage are:
Abington High School, Wigston
Ashby School, Ashby
Ashfield School, Leicester
Countesthorpe Community College, Countesthorpe
Crown Hills School, Leicester
De Lisle School, Loughborough
Gartree High School, Oadby
Ibstock Community College, Ibstock
King Edward VII School, Melton
Lancaster School, Leicester
Longfield School, Melton
Longslade Community College, Birstall
Rawlins Community College, Quorn
Redmoor High School, Hinckley
Sir Jonathan North Community College, Leicester
St Paul’s School, Leicester
The Martin High School, Anstey
The Robert Smyth School, Market Harborough
Thomas Estley Community College, Broughton Astley
Uppingham Community College, Uppingham

Howes Percival’s year of Reach projects began last spring and have included: volunteering with the Riverside Rangers to clear the invasive pennywort plant from a section of the River Soar; learning the ancient art of hedgelaying; sponsor the East Midlands Food Festival at Brooksby, do a garden makeover at a charitable hostel for the elderly in Highfields; take Leonard Cheshire residents Christmas shopping, raise money tackling the Three Peaks; and sponsor two Paralympians.
www.howespercival.com

Through 12 regional offices, Arts & Business acts as a crucible where businesses and arts organisations come together to create partnerships to benefit themselves and the community at large. Arts & Business aspires to be the world’s most successful and widespread creative network. The organisation helps business people support the arts, and the arts to inspire greater business success. Whether raising a company’s profile, investing in its local communities, or training staff, the work Arts & Business does with business is unique and inspirational. Arts & Business believes that partnerships between arts and business organisations can bring benefits to both and to the wider community while focussing on real business objectives.
For further inspiration go to www.AandB.org.uk