Yehudi Menuhin School to set up new music school in China

The Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey is to set up its first international music school in Qingdao, China. Working with the Qingdao Urban Construction Group, the specialist music school is planning the opening for 2022-23.

As part of the project, there will be opportunities for teacher and pupil exchange, and UK staff will visit regularly to carry out inspections to make certain that the new school is adhering to the ideals of its British parent school. 

Key appointments, including the Head, Director of Music and Bursar, will be controlled by YMS in line with Yehudi Menuhin’s ethos.

A city of 10 million people, Qingdao is located between Beijing and Shanghai, just across the water from both South Korea and Japan, enabling The Yehudi Menuhin School China to attract talent from all across the region.

David Buckley, Chair of Governors of the School, said: ‘The announcement today of our plans to open the Yehudi Menuhin School in Qingdao marks an exciting new opportunity to open our first International School outside of the United Kingdom, and to establish a strategic presence for the School in China.

Together with our partners, the Qingdao Urban Construction Group, we plan to replicate the unique model for music education that Yehudi Menuhin created to attract the highest levels of talent in the region and to develop new opportunities for cultural exchange between our two countries.’

Zamira Menuhin Benthall, Yehudi Menuhin’s daughter, long-time governor and current Vice-President of YMS, said: ‘I vividly recall how my father talked of his deep love and admiration for China, which he visited several times, having always been fascinated by its culture.

My father was always a passionate advocate for music as a universal language, overriding differences of nationality and politics. We are most grateful to Mr Kong Shaowu, who shares my father’s commitment to the importance of educating musically gifted young people to bring out their full human potential, as well as their technical skills. I believe we all support this goal and I trust in the people of Qingdao to make it a reality.’