Young Artist Musical Ambassadors (YAMA) Programme

The Music Mind Spirit Trust’s YAMA (Young Artist Musical Ambassadors) Programme equips 11-25+ year old musicians to perform in protected environments by developing their musical and interpersonal skills. Uniquely designed programmes are dedicated to enabling both young talented and experienced professional musicians to develop and refresh their musical gifts and enhance their creative potential.

In this intergenerational mentorship project, the YAMAs (core group from the Royal Academy of Music) are trained by Nigel Osborne, Chika Robertson, Mark Ross Clark, Julian West, Live Music Now and other professional organisations to reinvigorate the lives of care home residents, staff and families through regular music sessions. Bespoke recorded music between sessions uses cutting-edge digital technology through its ground-breaking partner organisation X-System Ltd to aid musical/scientific research and practice.

Collective MAPs (Musically Attuned Performances) are created via live community performances to create lasting ‘Moving Memories’.

As part of MMST’s National Lottery Community Fund Award, YAMAs worked collaboratively with BBC Music Day to help bring music to everyone in the UK living with dementia through the power of music to inspire, bring us together and make a positive impact.

SongTrees - living harmoniously through music in schools & communities

SongTrees is a creative concept that provides musical opportunities, training and performances to enhance the life experiences of young people, their friends, families, teachers and communities.

This is done through the ground-breaking work of MMST’s Young Artist Musical Ambassadors (YAMA).

SongTrees has been created and pioneered by Dr Chika Robertson, co-founder of the Music Mind Spirit Trust.

SongTrees delivers attentive, engaging and highly enjoyable music-centered activity and professionally delivered programmes that are accessible and inclusive to all regardless of musical background. Its ground-breaking work facilitates generational and community connectivity, both locally and globally, through its Young Artist Musical Ambassadors (YAMA) Programme.

Please click here to visit the SongTrees website.

MMST continues to train the next generation of musicians how to facilitate and reawaken latent musicianship within families, care homes and communities. The YAMA Programme has worked in partnership with Yehudi Menuhin’s flagship organisation, Live Music Now and the Royal Academy of Music.

MMST Trustee Prof Nigel Osborne and Dr Chika Robertson have developed an innovative and successful programme of bespoke live music and X-System’s personalised recorded music that benefits care homes and those living with dementia.

Following current health-care regulations and good practice, MMST will be continuing our dementia-friendly café events at The Milk Churn, Bookham and Harrison Farms, Rudgwick. As sponsors of these special events of live music and bespoke recorded X-System* playlists, The Milk Churn serve their award-winning cheese-on-toast, tea and coffee to carers, friends and families in their delightful ‘Parlour’, which is wheelchair accessible.

Please visit the 'Resources’ page (see left sidebar) to benefit from our exciting collaboration with Prof Nigel Osborne, X-System* and Recovery College Online. MMST is also engaging in cutting-edge work into Music and Epilepsy at present with X-System.

*X-System predicts human responses to music, in particular enlivenment and mood, and creates playlists in any chosen repertoire to lead listeners gently and naturally from one state of mind and body to another of their choice. Special MMST performances feature bespoke music playlists in favourite repertoires that are helping residents in care homes through the day (for example, getting going in the morning and supporting daily activities such as enjoying their mealtimes, exercising and preparing for sleep at night), thanks to Prof Nigel Osborne and Dr Chika Robertson’s innovative programme of personalised live and recorded music for the residents of partner care homes Cedar Court, Cranleigh and Stonehill House, Haddenham and for the community at The Milk Churn.

YAMA Live - a SongTrees Mentorship Programme

Young Artist Musical Ambassadors of the Music Mind Spirit Trust continue to enrich people's lives through music.

We are delighted to run this vlog featuring live music from YAMA musicians. We can’t wait for you to ‘Meet the YAMAs’! 🎵

These concerts were part of the ‘Connection through Music’ series, weekly events which offered music and wellbeing all throughout lockdown in collaboration with Paras Wellbeing, NHS Recovery College Online and X-System.

To see more of the Thursday night events produced during lockdown, please visit: https://www.paraswellbeing.co.uk/wellbeinglive

A Celebration of Love

We are delighted to celebrate all things love with this Valentine’s Day special featuring amazing musicians from around the world. ❤️

Amalia & Cecilia Young

We are pleased to introduce violinist Amalia Young (Royal Academy of Music) as our 1st featured guest on our new series 'Meet the YAMAs'! 🎵

Amalia and her sister Cecilia lifted people's spirits across the world with their delightful family music making, live from lockdown in Leicester, UK.

Prof Mark Ross Clark

We are extremely honoured to welcome Prof Mark Ross Clark as our 1st International Professional Mentor for the YAMAs!

Singers Mark Ross Clark (Professor of Music and Theatre - University of Louisiana), Rachel Boriaque and Ryan Kersh, beautifully accompanied by harpist Margaret Hall, performed an enchanting programme (together with the cicada!) ‘Live from the Bayou’ during the Louisiana lockdown.

Nathan Knight

It is a genuine pleasure to introduce virtuoso double-bassist Nathan Knight as a Professional Mentor for the Young Artist Musical Ambassadors (YAMA) of the Music Mind Spirit Trust. Nathan inspired audiences around the world with his live performance during lockdown in London.

Alistair Sutherland

We are delighted to welcome Alistair Sutherland as a Professional Mentor for MMST’s Young Artist Musical Ambassadors. Alistair is an operatic baritone who has a special interest in working with all ages, including those living with dementia, through his excellent work with Opera Holland Park (OHP Inspire) and the Music Mind Spirit Trust.

Natasha Hallett

It is a genuine pleasure to introduce Young Artist Musical Ambassador Natasha Hallett as our ‘Meet the YAMAs’ featured guest. Natasha has been extremely active in providing live concerts from the Surrey Hills and into care homes throughout the pandemic as a delightful Daughter-Mother Duo, with professional cellist and YAMA Advisor Jenny Janse.