Elaine Hawthorne: Larne Music Yard nurtures new talent via teacher tribute fund

A tribute fund in memory of a much-loved music teacher is helping a new generation of performers to develop their talents.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Elaine Hawthorne, who died last year after a short illness, was also an accomplished musician and the conductor of Larne Choral Society.

A Just Giving page was set up by her family to raise funds for Larne Music Yard with an initial target of £200. Just over £4,500 was raised from donations and this has been used to make music more accessible to as many children in the community as possible.

The following are some of the projects The Music Yard has been able to provide:

Elaine Hawtorne.Elaine Hawtorne.
Elaine Hawtorne.

Part funded a make music workshop for children from the Larne Community Care Centre;

Subsidised weekly Roddensvale School music sessions during October and November 2021;

Subsidised junior jam sessions for a group of children over a seven-week period which culminated in live performances during Larne Goodwill Festival;

Subsidised three weeks of summer sessions including drama, dance and music to over 180 children in the area;

Children who were unable to access music lessons or going through difficult times have also benefited from having their lessons paid for by the fund;

Angela Hamilton, of Larne Music Yard, explained: “Elaine’s family also wanted something tangible to remember Elaine with so we arranged for two memorial cups, which are now awarded on a yearly basis to music students attending the Larne Music Festival and The Music Yard.

“We have no doubt Elaine would have been so pleased by the fact that many children have been able to continue learning, enjoying and playing music from the donations raised in her name. Elaine’s family continue to help us decide which projects to fund next and we have plans for many more to take place in the near future.”