Kilmarnock Yamaha Music School students raise money for CLIC Sargent

Jul 3 2009 by Ian Russell, Kilmarnock Standard

YOUNG musicians at Kilmarnock’s Yamaha Music School have taken the advice of acclaimed classical violinist and former young musician of the year, Nicola Benedetti, in practising more often in a bid to improve their musical skills.

The 150 pupils signed up to take part in Practice-a-thon Music, and raised £1220 for CLIC Sargent.

The national fundraising initiative is run by the UK's largest children’s cancer charity and it involves music students being sponsored to play their instruments or practise singing during a two-week period.

Graham Hunter, operator of the Yamaha Music School in Kilmarnock, said: “We were delighted to be supporting Practice-a-thon Music. The students really got behind the idea and were very enthused about practising their instruments or singing for this worthy cause.”

Although schools and groups are able to keep up to 25 per cent of what is raised to invest in future music projects, the Yamaha Music School has opted to give all of the money to the charity. This money will be used by CLIC Sargent to fund services benefiting the 10 children and young people diagnosed with cancer or leukaemia every day in the UK.