We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards (RPS) for the Impact category; highlighting classical music’s power to change lives for the better and bring communities together, alongside Streetwise Opera and Ex Cathedra.
The awards celebrate the enduring value of classical music, casting a light on the individuals, groups and initiatives musically inspiring communities across the UK.
The RPS Awards announcement will take place at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Thursday 6 March 2025.
World Heart Beat is an absolute treasure! Its leaders develop young people as musicians and as human beings. The superb programme is led by a roster of outstanding and deeply engaged musicians. This cultural gem provides life-changing education for all and is free for those who need support. Legendary trumpeter, Wynton Marsalis
Case for entry in the Impact category
World Heart Beat Music Academy has been an outstanding music charity achieving major impact since its start-up in 2009. Our new £3.6million education centre, state-of-the-art concert venue and recording studio opened in January 2023 as World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens in London’s Nine Elms. Therefore the period September 2023 to August 2024 saw us achieve major new impact as our classical concert programme attracted new audiences and our teaching of many more young people in the new location took root.
Our unique social impact
World Heart Beat Music Academy was established in 2009 by concert clarinettist Sahana Gero MBE to counteract the alarming lack of affordable music education at grassroots level. Social justice and equality of access lie at the heart of our work. We have set out to make – through music – a lasting impact on the lives of those living in some of the most deprived and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in the country.
Harnessing the transformative power of music
Sahana’s guiding principle is that everyone of us has music at our soul because, from birth, we have a heart beat that connects us all. We are also born with a vision to create a world where every young person, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to discover and nurture their musical talent, all this within a global community united by the transformative power of music where creativity, diversity, and passion are celebrated.
An all-encapsulating ‘musical family’
World Heart Beat Music Academy is a ‘musical family’, a beautiful, inspiring place in south west London where children and young people aged 5 – 25 years, of all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, can play music. It is an all-encapsulating place to go after school, at weekends, and during the holidays for lessons, workshops, practice facilities, and to play together in a range of bands and ensembles. The academy is located in Wandsworth – a borough of high polarisation which houses some of the poorest estates in the country which lie just a short walk away. Our First Beats programme provides primary school children from low socio-economic families with inspiring entry-level music activities after school and with school concerts. Professional training equips young people for sustainable careers as musicians, producers and engineers.
Classical music learning – the rich bedrock
Classical music is the rich bedrock for learning good instrumental technique. World Heart Beat offers partnerships and enrichment in the classical world. Our students enjoy regular outreach activities with masterclasses, classical concerts, conducting classes, and classical performances from grassroots to the very highest levels.
World Heart Beat in numbers
? More than 350 students come for up to 21 hours per week, staying with us for 7 years on average
? Over half receive bursaries for free tuition and instruments
? 1,000s more children and young people are engaged via outreach
? 60% are from the global majority
? 9,000 hours of music tuition, in 18 instruments, and across 20 musical genres All our students are encouraged to appreciate classical music, which forms the basis of our teaching
? Students enjoy access to 17 bands and ensembles and extensive performance opportunities
? 77% of young people acquire greater self-esteem
? 74% of young people become more confident
? 87% of students develop increased resilience
? 77% achieve top music examination results