Amber’s Youth Board consists of six talented young musicians, aged 11 to 18, who have all benefited from our charity. They serve as ambassadors for our community, sharing stories, raising awareness of our work, and showcasing the incredible achievements of young blind and partially sighted musicians.
Eleanor
Listen to Eleanor introducing herself:
Hi, I’m Eleanor. I have been a beneficiary of The Amber Trust since the age of 6. I do my best to advocate for young visually impaired people just like me. I am registered as severely visually impaired due to a brain tumour.
I love listening to 80s music, particularly the band A-ha. During my singing lessons, I mostly perform Musical Theatre or Disney. I’m taking Music GCSE and thanks to The Amber Trust I’m also learning Braille music notation outside of school.
As current Chair of The Amber Trust Youth Board, along with the other members, I want to make sure that blind and visually impaired children get the same chances in music as everyone else. I would also like to become a powerful voice for accessibility in other aspects of my life.
Ed
Listen to Ed introducing himself:
My name is Ed, and I am a 17-year-old A Level Music student! I have been a beneficiary of the Amber Trust since the beginning of my secondary school career during which I have been a member of various ensembles ranging from wind band to my own student formed rock bands.
I am extremely thankful for the support Amber has provided me in funding my baritone horn lessons over the past 5 years, facilitating musical development that has spurred me to go on and study music in further education. I am also a pianist and have begun to teach myself electric guitar and musical production so that I might more readily record my own songs and compositions.
I have a condition called Oculocutaneous Albinism which causes a lack of pigment throughout the eyes, hair and skin, resulting in fair features and a vision impairment. I believe that my vision impairment has made it necessary for me to develop an affluent musical ear and good improvisational skills. I am really looking forward to giving something back to the Amber Trust in my work with the Youth Board and inspiring other vision impaired young people explore the empowering and enriching world of music!
India
Listen to India introducing herself:
Hi, I’m India and I’m 11. I started piano when I was 6 years old. Before I started, I got a toy keyboard for Christmas and I really enjoyed playing it, so I asked my parents if I could have a proper one. For my birthday, The Amber Trust and my parents managed to get me a digital piano. I was so excited!
I started my lessons at the age of 6 with my piano teacher. He has helped me pass all of my exams and has taught me how to compose, improvise, and learn different piano pieces. I am currently learning my Grade 5 pieces and am due to take my next exam soon.
I’m really proud to be a member of The Amber Trust Youth Board. I hope to use my influence to advocate for inclusivity – making sure everyone has a voice and that organisations and institutions consider accessibility in the design of programs and products, including instruments.
I want to ensure that people with disabilities are treated the same as everyone else, and that they are recognised for their individual talents. Being part of a youth board has also given me lots of opportunities to put myself out there and build my confidence.
Nyla
Listen to Nyla introducing herself:
Hi my name is Nyla and my musical interests are singing, playing the piano, and writing my own songs. I like to listen to 60s and 70s music, because I feel that it’s meaningful.
I am also learning guitar. I have been supported by the Amber trust for roughly seven years, it’s really helped me to build my confidence musically. I like science, especially astronomy. I also like watching game shows on tv such as tipping point, the chase and the 1% club because I am interested in general knowledge and trivia.
Yasmin
Listen to Yasmin introducing herself:
Hello, I’m Yasmin! I’ve been supported by Amber Trust for about four years, through this I’ve been able to develop as a singer and musician.
I’m currently working towards my Grade 5 in singing and love exploring both opera and musical theatre. I don’t always enjoy performing, but I truly appreciate learning new repertoire and shaping my own timbre and vocal style. To me music is way to express myself and build confidence.
Johnathan
Hi, my name’s Johnathan and I’m currently studying at university. Amber has supported me since 2018 and music has become my main career choice. In my local area there really is not much in terms of support for disabled individuals in the musical field. This has enticed me to want to help and yearn to be able to make a lasting difference.