“The aim of Arun Young Musicians is to give young people of West Sussex and surrounding areas the opportunity to perform music whether as soloists or as part of a group. It strives to offer positive encouragement and direction from experienced musicians, to nurture and strengthen young people’s confidence in performance and to help them take their music further, whether by pursuing an academic career at a music college, or simply advancing a lifelong love of making music.” (AYM Mission Statement 2013)
Arun Young Musicians has been organised and sponsored by a subsidiary committee of The Rotary Club of Littlehampton since 1981. The Rotary Club of Littlehampton supports many projects both locally and internationally and raised money through the charity shop it ran in Rustington, West Sussex. Arun Young Musicians is supported by its patron, the Duchess of Norfolk.
Arun Young Musicians (AYM) was formulated to promote and provide a platform in which young, talented musicians from the locality could gain experience in musical performance. The yearly Arun Young Musicians’ Festival has always been the primary event in the organisation’s calendar and in its early days had just 30 youngsters taking part but now has grown and attracts entrants to around 40 classes every year.
Arun Young Musicians also regularly holds interim events throughout the year. These have included summer evenings at The Barn, Dover House, by very kind permission of our previous patron the late Lady Sarah Clutton. These concerts were in superb surroundings and combined with a buffet supper they were most popular evenings.
The focus of Arun Young Musicians for 2017 and beyond is to enhance our music calendar by providing further performance opportunities. Up- to-date information can be found on our Events page.
Because of the success of the concerts held throughout the year and the audience they have generated, a ‘Friends of Arun Young Musicians’ was set-up which has proved invaluable in ensuring the continuing success of AYM.
The AYM committee consists of Keith Green (Chairman & C0-ordinator), John Haynes (Treasurer), Denis Cummings, Rosemary Green, Bernie Homer, Maria Prior, Jenni Ripley.