We Love Muswell Hill

Nearly 100 musicians aged between ten and 19-years-old from Haringey have made the trip to Memphis, Tennessee to perform and also learn about civil rights.

On the trip the group will work alongside young American performers to gain insights into the city’s history and culture. The Haringey Young Musicians trip coincides with Black History Month in the USA, so the young people will visit the National Museum of Civil Rights and will be performing music influenced by cultures across the world.

As well as giving young people an opportunity to develop their musical skills, the trip is designed to develop their understanding civil rights and encourage them to be advocates for a fairer society. 

The young people will be sharing their experiences and their music, including several compositions created especially for the trip, at a series of homecoming concerts in March.

Councillor Lorna Reith, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to see a very different part of the world and learn about its history and culture. I am sure it will be an educational experience, developing these young people as musicians, but also as individuals.”

 More than 20 musical groups for young people meet in Haringey every week, playing a variety of styles including Turkish folk music, African drumming, jazz, classical guitar and steel pans.

In total, 5,500 young people are learning to play an instrument through Haringey Young Musicians. The Symphony Orchestra, Big Band and Park View Academy’s dance troupe will be taking part in the Memphis trip from February 12 to 21.

Saxophonist Joshua Eldridge, said: "I feel that this trip will be extremely fun because we get to mix with other musicians and show off our talent to the Memphians."

Haringey hosted a similar visit by The Girls and Boys Choir of Memphis last March. The American visitors performed at schools across the borough, culminating in a performance at Alexandra Palace.