We were delighted to welcome Yvette Griffith OBE as NYJO’s Chief Executive last autumn. Now, seven months into the role, Yvette shares some reflections and aspirations with you, our members.

What have been some of your highlights since becoming CEO?

There have been so many, but one standout moment was seeing The Fire Next Time, our James Baldwin tribute, in the packed-out Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre. Created by Emerging Professional Lucy-Anne Daniels, Musical Director Peter Edwards and a brilliant ensemble of NYJO Emerging Professionals, the standing ovation at the end was unforgettable. It was also incredibly special to meet donors and supporters throughout the evening at the trustees’ reception. It felt like a real celebration of the creativity and commitment NYJO inspires.

I also loved our NYJO Open Day, meeting members and watching the Under 18s Ensemble and Band perform, and a trip to the Buckingham Palace Garden Party, where I chatted with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, NYJO’s Royal Patron, about NYJO’s future collaboration with the Southbank Centre, where he has recently become a Patron too. And the Jazz FM Awards, where I joined the Arts Council and brought along Emerging Professional Olivia Cuttill – a real NYJO moment.

Mostly though, I’ve loved ‘being the new girl’: getting to know our incredible team, seeing the depth of our education programmes, and witnessing the sheer range of opportunities we offer young people. There’s such a richness to NYJO.

What makes NYJO so special?

It’s an extraordinary time in NYJO’s story. We’re celebrating 60 years of incredible legacy, but also actively evolving, reimagining what jazz education can be today. I’ve been blown away by projects like First Time Jazz, where our Emerging Professionals tour schools around the UK, often giving students their first-ever taste of live music.

One of the things I love is that young people can access NYJO at any point in their musical journey. But there’s something very special about the progression we offer, from age 11 to 25 – beginner to Emerging Professional, and potentially beyond as alumni. Through Sound Foundations, we put instruments in the hands of young people ready to commit to learning jazz. Our First Collective introduces ensemble playing in a supportive environment, and from there, young musicians can progress through our Under 18s Ensemble and Band, all the way to our Emerging Professionals Programme.

It’s a free, inclusive journey that nurtures talent, self-expression and community, embracing the full spectrum of jazz and celebrating a diversity of voices and styles that reflect today’s society.

Why is NYJO’s work so vital right now?

At a time when music education is being steadily eroded, NYJO is stepping in to fill a growing gap. Jazz is often absent in schools, but we make sure that young people from all backgrounds can access its joy, creativity and transformative life skills.

We support young musicians from their first notes to establishing themselves as professional artists. Along the way, they build confidence, discipline, collaboration and resilience. Most importantly, we’ve worked hard to ensure access is broad and fair, where it’s talent, not privilege or postcode, that determines who gets to thrive.

One of your priorities is to grow NYJO’s partnerships. What kinds of opportunities do you hope to explore?

I’m really excited about developing new partnerships across the sector and beyond, nationally and internationally. Partnerships open up brilliant possibilities for our Emerging Professionals, help us reach new communities, and deepen the impact of what we do.

I won’t reveal everything just yet, but I’m particularly passionate about exploring international collaborations – ways we can exchange ideas and create exciting experiences for young musicians across borders. Watch this space!

What jazz have you been listening to lately that our members might enjoy?

After hearing our Under 18s Ensemble perform Four by Miles Davis, I became obsessed with Michael Mayo’s contemporary version. It’s bold, exciting and deeply moving. I had it on repeat for weeks. It also reminded me just how impressive our young musicians are tackling something so challenging with such flair. And the Under 18s Band were equally impressive performing the ‘traditional’ version of Four.

On a very different note, I’ve also been listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. It’s a gorgeous, heartfelt performance and a masterclass in storytelling through song.

Do you have a message for our members?

Thank you so much for your support, it truly means the world. You’re helping us build a vibrant, inclusive future for jazz, and I can’t wait to share that journey with you.

I really look forward to meeting many of you at our 60th Anniversary events this autumn and to celebrating everything we’re achieving together.

In the financial year ending March 2025, NYJO’s total expenditure, to run the charity and deliver all its incredible and accessible programmes, was £668,216. The most significant source of income to meet these costs was fundraising, which achieved 58% last year. This came from a mix of sources, including Arts Council England, charitable trusts and foundations, and individual donors like you.

Your generosity makes a real difference. In fact, gifts from individuals, including our loyal members, accounted for a vital 29% of all fundraised income, equating to around £114,000. We are deeply grateful. Without this support, we would be forced to scale back our programmes and reduce the number of young people we’re able to reach. Moving forward our ambition is quite the opposite – we aim to grow our impact, and deliver even more, by increasing our fundraising income over the next few years.

The wider funding landscape for the arts is becoming more difficult. A recent report by the Arts Funders Group, published by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, found that total grant funding available for the arts is down 8% compared to pre-COVID levels. Competition has intensified, with many funders now awarding grants to just one in five applicants. At the same time, Arts Council funding has remained static, operating costs continue to rise, and more young people than ever need financial assistance to access our programmes.

In this climate, individual philanthropy has never been more vital. Your continued membership is a cornerstone of our sustainability, and we hope you’ll stay on this journey with us.

We’re also working hard to grow our community of supporters. If you know someone who shares our passion for nurturing the next generation of jazz talent and enriching music education, we’d love to talk. We’re creating a new ‘menu’ of giving options, designed to offer greater clarity on where support is most needed: from bursaries for young musicians, to performance opportunities and education programmes. You can view it here, or just drop us a line and we’ll send you a copy.

Thank you again for being part of the NYJO family.