About us
Above: NYMAZ Partners and Music Leaders 12.07.2019
NYMAZ is a youth music development charity which champions the transformative potential of music for children and young people. We know that music has the power to change lives – it can raise aspirations, enable personal and social development, and enhance career prospects. Working with our trusted partners, we deliver high quality music-making activities across North Yorkshire to those in challenging circumstances, including rural isolation. We are also committed to strengthening the sector through workforce development, building strategic partnerships and advocating for the benefits of participatory music.
Operational since 2001, NYMAZ’s vision is that all young people in North Yorkshire will have the opportunity to actively engage in music, regardless of their circumstances. NYMAZ is proud to be one of the 13 partners in the Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England, a collective of leading music organisations working together to promote diversity and cultural democracy in music education.
To contact us email: info@nymaz.org.uk
NYMAZ is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.
Read our Annual Review
The Team
Director - Sarah McWatt
Programme Manager - Teah Lewis (starting Spring 2023)
Networks Manager and Administrator - Abby Seton
Music projects
We pride ourselves on working across a wide range of music styles and genres as well as with the latest digital technologies. NYMAZ projects target young people at all levels, from those who are completely new to music-making through to the gifted and talented. Our aim is to enhance each participant’s enjoyment of music and facilitate their growth as an individual, in addition to supporting their musical progression.
Projects are delivered by our expert partners who have a wealth of experience, including specialist knowledge of working with babies and toddlers as well as with those with special educational needs and disabilities.
View current projects
Professional networks
As part of our commitment to strengthening the sector in North Yorkshire we run professional networks which enable musicians and practitioners to develop their skills, share best practice and network with peers. Membership is free and is focused on three specialist areas – Early Years Music (ages 0- 5), Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Remote Music Learning.
Explore our networks
Strategic advocacy
NYMAZ has established itself as a thought-leader in the sector, seeking to influence and drive music education initiatives on a regional and national level.
NYMAZ is a strong advocate for musical inclusion – using research findings we have shown the importance of informal music activities in terms of life chances and are calling for it to be better supported in rural areas. We are also keen to promote digital methods of providing young people in the countryside with high quality, but cost efficient, instrumental tuition and music experiences.
Read about our campaigns
Our working context
North Yorkshire is England’s largest administrative county by area, covering over 3,000 square miles. It has a population of 600,000 of which 134,900 are aged 0 to 18 years old. Predominantly rural, five of the county’s seven Districts are designated as the most sparsely populated classification of Rural-80.
View Google Map
About the National Foundation for Youth Music
The National Foundation for Youth Music is our principal funder. Every year, the National Foundation for Youth Music provides more than 75,000 young people with the opportunity to make music, helping them to overcome the challenges they face in their lives. Its music projects support young people to develop their creative and social skills, make positive contributions to their community and live happy, successful lives.