Young musicians perform jazz standards with ZEDRA partnership funding collaboration online

World Heart Beat Music Academy launches two #worldheartbeatathome jazz music videos
remotely to support its young musicians during lockdown.

ZEDRA provides invaluable funding to help support unity and creativity initiative to keep young people learning music together, whilst apart.

The video launches today will also highlight the charity’s Global Giving campaign, BE THERE, which is raising funds to support disadvantaged young people through the crisis.

Young jazz musicians and alumni from award-winning charity World Heart Beat Music Academy have come together online to produce their own lockdown jazz music videos, #worldheartbeatathome, which will launch today on ZEDRA’s LinkedIn and other channels.

London based World Heart Beat Music Academy developed a music making project, funded by ZEDRA, the global active wealth, corporate and fund solutions specialist to keep its young people learning music together, even though they were apart.

With exemplary jazz programmes and top-musicians such as Tony Kofi and Byron Wallen teaching at the academy, World Heart Beat has a strong affinity with jazz. The chosen standards ‘We’ll Be Together Again’ has been recorded by many jazz greats including Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. The second, ‘One for Daddy O’ was written and recorded by the late, great saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. It has been arranged and mixed by two-time Grammy Award winner, Cameron Craig.

Working on the music videos remotely provided an opportunity to develop skills, creativity and a sense of purpose for the young musicians whilst isolated at home. They were able to enjoy the familiarity of working with their World Heart Beat ‘family’ as well as achieving a sense of achievement and pride in their finished work.

In February 2020, eight young academy musicians (aged 14-25 years) with considerable
promise and talent were selected for the ZEDRA Talent Development Programme which reflects
the aim of both the charity and ZEDRA – to provide opportunities and transform young lives,
many of whom live in challenging circumstances.

ZEDRA’s partnership funding ensures the jazz students receive tuition from exceptional
musicians, attend masterclasses from visiting artists, play in regular combo and ensemble
sessions and perform in a wide variety of venues.

Last month, World Heart Beat produced its first lockdown music video, Stevie Wonder’s
legendary and uplifting classic ‘Another Star’ featuring over one hundred young people from
the academy.

The three #worldheartbeatathome music videos help raise awareness of the charity’s Global
Giving BE THERE campaign to support young people by providing music-making opportunities
online. It is intended to help those who may be feeling heightened levels of loneliness and
anxiety during the coronavirus crisis, particularly those living in challenging circumstances.

Sahana Gero, Founder and Artistic Director said:

“Music brings about the feelings of oneness and community which are so vital, especially in
these times. With our ZEDRA Talent Development Programme in place we wanted to nurture
our young people’s love and commitment to jazz so that they could hone their craft whilst at
home. We are so grateful to ZEDRA for funding this inspiring and uniting project
#worldheartbeatathome which enables our young musicians to feel proud and worthy of what
they truly love doing best.”

Bart Deconinck, ZEDRA Executive Chairman said: “I am delighted to see what the musicians at
the World Heart Beat Music Academy have managed to achieve under the very difficult
conditions of lockdown. Musicians work as teams, just like in business so this will have been
particularly hard for them. This superb video is testament to their fantastic creativity, tenacity
and imagination. There is a life lesson for us all here.”

ZEDRA has a proud track record of supporting local communities in the countries it operates in
around the world. At is core are the values of self-improvement and an entrepreneurial
approach, which is summarised in its “do more to achieve more” approach ZEDRA actively
encourages and supports its people who are engaged in valuable local projects, addressing
challenging situations in the countries where they live. This year ZEDRA has decided to build on
this work and add a global dynamic by supporting the World Heart Beat Music Academy.

Through the ZEDRA Talent Development Programme, sponsored young jazz musicians and alumni from award-winning charity World Heart Beat Music Academy, have come together online to produce their own lockdown jazz music videos, #worldheartbeatathome, which is launched today. The video will also highlight the charity’s Global Giving campaign, BE THERE, which is raising funds to support disadvantaged young people through the crisis.

The #worldheartbeatathome video will also highlight the charity’s Global Giving campaign, BE THERE, which is raising funds to support disadvantaged young people through the crisis.

Please click here to watch the video