Every year, the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) provides funding to talented young musicians who do not own an instrument suitable for their professional training. RPS recently awarded a total of £17,000 in grants to first year undergraduates who are due to enter their second year.
Amongst this year’s recipients are a record three students from Leeds Conservatoire: Thomas Houghton and Ernie Moore who both study Jazz, plus Joshua Thurlow on the Production with Popular course. The RPS Instrument Purchase Grants are grants that do not have to be repaid, as RPS recognises the many financial challenges that young musicians face.
Caroline Hallam, Partnerships and Fundraising Manager at Leeds Conservatoire, shared the following:
“We are delighted that the RPS has chosen to support three of our students. These grants will make a huge difference both during their studies and as they pursue their musical ambitions.
“Leeds Conservatoire is committed to ensuring equal opportunities irrespective of financial background. It is thanks to support from funding such as RPS Instrument Purchase Grants that the conservatoire can enable some of the most gifted students to fulfil their potential.”
Read on to find out more about Thomas, Ernie and Joshua’s musical progress and how the RPS is helping them.
Thomas Houghton
RPS Instrument Purchase Grant 2023 | £500 towards an electric guitar
Course studied: Jazz
Guitarist Tom ‘Linus’ Houghton grew up in Warrington and first studied guitar under renowned blues and rock guitarist Steve Morris. He achieved his high school's highest assessment grade for music.
While studying for A-levels, Tom developed a personal style stemming from his love for a wide variety of jazz and roots music. Tom has depped for the Saltaire Big Band and regularly busks in York with friends from Leeds Conservatoire. He regularly plays solo jazz guitar gigs and has accepted invitations to provide music for art gallery exhibitions featuring contemporary artists.
Tom also plays in, leads, and writes for several jazz groups, including a guitar trio, saxophone duo and quartet, and Joe Allen's Storytelling Collective. He also provides session work for other artists on guitar and steel guitar, which he doubles on.
Ernie Moore
RPS Instrument Purchase Grant 2023 | £800 towards a flugelhorn
Course studied: Jazz
Ernie Moore is a trumpeter and flautist. He grew up in East London where he learnt classical music through the Redbridge Music Service.
Through playing in large orchestras, he performed around the country at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Southbank Centre and Birmingham Symphony Hall, achieving awards such as the Jack Petchey Award for his services to his music service. He then began to study Jazz at the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy and the National Youth Jazz Collective, and has recently performed at both Leeds and Manchester Jazz Festival.
Ernie now runs his own bands/projects in Leeds such as his own quartet, his band nova.sol and is the co-founder of the community jam night No Standards Jam. He continues to be an active performer in jazz and is also an instrumental tutor.
Joshua Thurlow
RPS Instrument Purchase Grant 2023 | £500 towards an electric guitar
Course studied: Production with Popular
From Newcastle, guitarist Josh Thurlow has accumulated in excess of 100,000 streams and 70,000 unique listeners on songs which he's performed. He has appeared on BBC Music Introducing three times featuring two tracks as well as playing sold out local shows to a peak of 350 people, playing cities away from home including Swansea, London and Stoke. He achieved a Grade 8 at GCSE level in music then went on to attain a Distinction at Level 3. He's hoping to achieve a 2:1 or a first at Leeds Conservatoire.
View all 2023 RPS Instrument Purchase Grants recipients on the RPS website
Find out about scholarships and bursaries at Leeds Conservatoire
