Francis Routh Trust launched to support British music

A new charity has formed with the intention of providing annual grants to support performances of works by British composers. An evolution of the Redcliffe Concerts of British Music, the Francis Routh Trust is made possible by a legacy from Worcester-born composer Francis Routh, who died in November 2021.

The new charity will run two application rounds a year, aiming to provide a total of 12 grants a year of up to £1,000 each. Funds will be granted to organisations or ensembles to support the performance of new works and of works by British composers that have been neglected. The new Trust will also grant access to its library of music and recordings by British composers.

Grants will be awarded twice a year and applications can be made on the Trust website. Grants can be put towards recordings or commissions as well as helping with the cost of performance or publishing material (such as parts for performance) and underwriting ticket income.

Applications for the first round of grants will close at the end of July, with the first grants being announced in September 2023. Applications will be considered by the charity’s board of trustees. Chaired by Simon Routh, the board includes William Howard, Dr Rupert Ridgewell, Robert Summers and British composer Freya Waley-Cohen.

Another aim for the new charity is to modernise the constitution of the Redcliffe Concerts of British Music. Established in 1964 by Francis Routh, the concert society’s aims mirror those of the new trust and honour the Routh’s own efforts in the promotion of music by British composers throughout his lifetime.