Ayanna Witter-Johnson joins Awards for Young Musicians board

Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) has announced the appointment of acclaimed cellist, composer, pianist and songwriter, Ayanna Witter-Johnson to its board in the role of trustee.

In this role Witter-Johnson will contribute to AYM’s goal of removing the obstacles, financial and otherwise, in the way of developing musical talent through funding, training, advocacy and research. As well as making donations to the organisation, Witter-Johnson jointly founded the AYM Rose Walker Award for Woodwind in 2017 in memory of her friend, woodwind player and singer Rose Walker.

AYM chief executive, Hester Cockcroft, said: ‘AYM is a learning organisation: we want to continue to develop and improve our support for young musicians. A range of voices and insights are vital to this process: Ayanna’s knowledge and perspective from her unique and stellar musical journey will be hugely valuable.’

A graduate of both Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Manhattan School of Music, Witter-Johnson has been part of the London Symphony Orchestra's (LSO) Panufnik Young Composers Scheme as well as having taken the role of emerging artist in residence at London's Southbank Centre.

Witter-Johnson has been commissioned to compose for a variety of organisations including the Güerzenich Orchester, the Ligeti and Kronos quartets and the LSO, where she also contributed as an arranger and orchestrator.

Ayanna Witter-Johnson said: ‘I know first-hand that AYM bring immeasurable value to young musicians nationwide with support that makes a huge difference to early careers. Increasing and growing AYM’s impact and reach to diverse artists is important to me and I look forward to being part of AYM’s incredible future work.’

You can find out more about Awards for Young Musicians here.

You can find out more about Ayanna Witter-Johnson here.