www.mbf.org.uk
The Musicians Benevolent Fund has just launched the MBF Young Talent Awards 2008. Instrumentalists of 18 years or under are invited to apply for their share of an awards pot of up to £150,000. Last year almost 200 young people benefited from individual awards ranging from £200 to £1000.

The awards are open to young people from all areas of music with recent winners coming from a vast range of musical backgrounds including fiddle player Ryan Young (16) who was recently a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2008, thrash and progressive rock guitarist Tyrian Serpell (16) who was the only rock guitarist at the Purcell School and is now in his 2nd year at the BRIT School and clarinettist Mark Simpson (now 19) who was the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2006.

The MBF Young Talent Awards are an important source of funding for young musicians with exceptional talent who are in financial need. Under 18s can benefit from funding to cover the cost of buying an instrument, music lessons with a private teacher, fees for a Saturday Music Centre or travel expenses to attend a Saturday Music Centre. For the first time this year awards are also offered for instrument purchase to those who are aged 18 and about to enter their first year at university or college.

Young musicians need to have achieved a ‘Distinction’ level in their most recent practical music exam or be able to prove equivalent outstanding talent. Their parents/guardians should also be able to demonstrate financial need and they must be British or Irish or have been resident in the United Kingdom or Ireland for at least three consecutive years on the closing date of Thursday 12th June 2008.

For further information and to apply online visit www.mbf.org.uk or contact:
MBF Education, 16 Ogle Street, London, W1W 6JA
E-mail: education@mbf.org.uk