Former Nevis Ensemble fellows face hardship in light of sudden insolvency

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The Nevis Ensemble – a group providing ’music for everyone, everywhere’ – has been left in ’sudden financial hardship’ following the immediate dissolution of the organisation.

According to the group, the trust had promised an annual bursary of £11,000 to each of the 19 fellows, paid in monthly instalments of £1,000. However, the group has not received payment since the end of last year and claim it was given only 24 hours notice of the organisation’s insolvency. 

In light of this disbandment, the group has been advised by both the Musicians’ Union and Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) that their fellowships are ’entirely unprotected by employment law’. 

In a statement earlier this week, the group said: ’We want to draw attention to the fact that many of the musicians are struggling with sudden financial hardship. The bold vision of the Nevis Ensemble inspired many of us to move to a new city, leave jobs, defer other studies, and make large personal and financial sacrifices to join the ensemble.’ 

Since its formation in 2018, the ensemble has delivered close to 700 orchestral performances alongside workshops in schools, prisons, care homes and recovery groups. In 2021, it was awarded the ISM Award for New Music in Covid Times, the Environmental Sustainability Award at the Scottish Awards for New Music and in 2022 and was shortlisted for the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award. 

It was at the beginning of 2022 that 19 fellows were invited by the trust to begin developing partnerships to ’ensure the most vulnerable and marginalised’ members of society had access to music. 

A gofundme page has been set up by the fellows with the aim of ‘raising a temporary hardship fund’ while the musicians find employment and ‘try to get back on their feet’.  

In a statement on their website, the board of trustees thanked the musicians and staff for embracing the vision of the ensemble. 

You can find more information about the gofundme page here.