The event will feature performances from Decca signees Fieh, Jess Gillam, J.S. Ondara and Imelda May as well as a speech from Decca President Rebecca Allen.

Since its formation in 1929, Decca has served as the official label partner to three royal weddings, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympics and has been home to an array of legendary musicians. 

Throughout 2019, the label will be celebrating its nine decades. The first Friday of every month will be a ‘Decca Day’ with 90 physical and digital releases capturing the spirit of the label. It will also mark Record Store Day 2019 with a series of exclusive vinyl releases.

The V&A and Decca’s hidden West Hampstead studios will open their doors in the Summer to mark the 90 years with a range of activities, from one-off performances to exhibitions.

Decca are also uncovering their history with a book - ‘The Supreme Record Company: The Story Of Decca Records’ - two programmes on BBC Radio 2 that chart 20 of the most iconic Decca recordings and 45 special 90-second podcasts on www.decca90.com. 

Some of Decca’s distinguished artists are also reaching major milestones this year: Renée Fleming approaches 25 years on Decca; Cecilia Bartoli reaches 30 years; and Riccardo Chailly celebrates 40 years.

Revealing more of the story behind some of their most prestigious artists, 2019 will also see the release of a Pavarotti feature film and six rare and restored David Bowie videos.

Decca president Rebecca Allen says. “Decca Records has been the soundtrack to many historical and cultural moments, a truly unique brand with a truly unique identity.

"Even now, as we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we continue to push the boundaries; to seek out artists who are distinctive, who stand out from the crowd, artists that will continue to define our label for the next nine decades.”

Last year alone, the label had number one albums with Rod Stewart and Andrea Bocelli, helped teenage cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason sell 100,000 albums worldwide and saw Jeff Goldblum top the UK jazz charts with his debut record.

After capturing the hearts of the nation, Britain’s Got Talent winner Colin Thackery headed to the roof of 4PS yesterday to sign a record deal with Decca in partnership with Syco.

Dressed in his distinctive red Chelsea pensioners uniform, the 89-year-old war veteran becomes the oldest solo artist in history to sign a record deal.

Decca Records president Rebecca Allen says, “It feels so incredibly fitting that Colin should sign to Decca, in its 90^th anniversary year. The fact that Decca’s success started the year Colin was born, feels quite magical. He’s a unique artist and we are extremely proud to welcome him into our family.”

Having served Queen and country for 25 years, Colin is set to release his debut album on August 30 to coincide with the 80^th anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two on September 3.

Colin revealed he entered Britain’s Got Talent following a dare as he was coming off the stage from singing at his local club. He went on to dedicate the three songs he performed en route to victory — Wind Beneath My Wings, We’ll Meet Again and Love Changes Everything — to his late wife Joan, who died of cancer in 2016 after 66 years of marriage. 

The BGT final was watched by more than 10m TV viewers, who all saw Colin be crowned the winner in a moving finale. Following in the footsteps of previous winners, he will soon be gearing up for a performance in front of the Royal Family at the prestigious Royal Variety Performance in November.

Decca are gearing up for one of the standout moments of their Decca 90 celebrations with Saturday’s exclusive UK preview of Ron Howard’s highly anticipated documentary, Pavarotti.The film will be accompanied by the release of its original soundtrack, Pavarotti: Music From The Motion Picture, as well as a new three-disc best of collection titled Pavarotti: The Greatest Hits.

Both releases feature previously unreleased music and superstar duets with the likes of Bono, Elton John, James Brown, Lou Reed and many more.

The film, which will then hit cinemas nationwide on July 15, has already notched up some positive ratings on Rotten Tomatoes with 88% on the tomatometer and a 98% audience score.  

Charity celebrates a record £8 million donated to provide children with access to instruments and equipment, music lessons and bursaries, making the Foundation one of the UK’s largest funders of music education and also announces new name - Universal Music UK Sound Foundation

 Renamed Universal Music UK Sound Foundation
 £8 million plus donated over 21 years
 Awards to 10,000 individuals and schools
 £2.4 million donated to 26 secondary schools country-wide, providing long term support
 New bursaries granted for three Master of Arts (M.A.) in Music Education through partnership with the UCL Institute of Education (IOE)
 600 bursary students supported across 11 music colleges and organisations

London: September 2, 2019 -- EMI Music Sound Foundation celebrates its 21st anniversary as it reaches a landmark £8 million in donations, grants and bursaries aimed at improving access to music education for young people.

In addition, the Foundation announces a name change to Universal Music UK Sound Foundation, reflecting the substantial support the independent charity receives from Universal Music Group, the global parent company of EMI Music who set up the Foundation with a capital investment in 1997.

For 21 years the Foundation has supported music education for young people with awards going to over 10,000 children and schools for the purchase of musical instruments, equipment and training. The awards give support to a new generation as they discover music, further their education, and foster a lifelong interest in music.

Since its inception the Foundation has supported 26 secondary schools across the country, investing a total of £2.4 million, helping the schools to specialise in performing arts and music. Each year, it supports an additional 200 children studying at these schools with the cost of their music lessons via the charity’s Hardship Fund, as well as funding training for 250 teachers in their feeder primary schools. As part of the 21st anniversary, on top of their yearly award of £6000, each of these sponsored state schools received an extra £5000 in funding for 2018.

The Foundation also offers annual bursaries to 11 partner music colleges and organisations via a rolling programme. Bursaries are awarded to individual students to assist with their fees and living expenses, with more than 600 applicants benefitting from the programme.

Commenting on the bursary support that the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts receives, Sir Paul McCartney said: “On behalf of our students, from Liverpool and beyond, we are grateful for these awards which help make what can be impossible, possible. The Universal Music UK Sound Foundation is enabling many worthy students to learn, despite financial handicaps.”

Adam Barker, Chair of Trustees, Universal Music UK Sound Foundation stated: “Since our inception in 1997, the Foundation has focused on ensuring that the significant benefits and the joy of studying music remain available to as many young people from all backgrounds across the UK as possible. Universal Music is proud that our support allows 100% of the charity’s funding to be channeled to the vital work that the newly re-named and highly respected Universal Music UK Sound Foundation undertakes year after year.”

Expanding its commitment to the future of music education, for the first time, the Foundation has provided 50% tuition fee support to three MA students at the UCL Institute of Education (IOE) who, as part of their studies, will conduct research into the wider benefits of music. These students have just embarked on their MAs, covering research into areas of importance: “The effects of music education on mental health in adolescents”, “The impact that music education has on the social integration of children who speak little or no English” and “The wider benefits of music education on other areas of the curriculum”.

“For so many young people music is an incredibly important lifeline. I am delighted to have supported the Foundation for 20 years and to have seen the positive impact they have made to so many schools and individuals through the power of music.” noted Yoko Ono.

“Music is about so much more than just learning to play an instrument or read music or spotting the protégés of the future. Music can bring huge benefits to all children, including self-confidence and motivation, regardless of their musical ability,” says Janie Orr, MBE, CEO, Universal Music UK Sound Foundation.

Natalie (22 years old), a bursary recipient and Royal Academy of Music graduate noted, in relation to her time there: “Both my parents are deaf but, my mum does enjoy watching me play and I think perhaps if they weren’t deaf it would have affected the journey because they never forced me into anything, anything I did was because I enjoyed it and I wanted to do it. I’m so lucky to be studying in such a fantastic school that every second I can, I want to be doing something.”

The music industry contributes over £4.5 billion to the UK economy every year and plays a key role in driving revenue and technological innovation across the creative industries, by supporting the next generation in their music education, the charity remains committed to contributing to the industry’s future.

Sir Cliff Richard added: “I have been fortunate to have had a successful musical career for over 60 years, so I fully support the work of the Foundation. By generously helping with the purchase of musical instruments and equipment and by way of invaluable personal bursaries, the Foundation has helped thousands of young musicians pursue their dreams.”

Stay connected

• send fewer emails and have more facetime (see below). Whether it’s a call or a video chat, less context is lost and you still feel like you’re part of the team
• join a daily call with your immediate team, and make use of Zoom so you can see everyone
• avoid the temptation to defer meetings with external contacts – have a video call instead
• create a WhatsApp group with your team to share some daily tips and positivity. First up for today, Morna’s banana and pecan tray bake recipe (see attached)

Create a routine

• stick to your normal daily routine as much as possible – pyjamas don’t look great on Zoom
• plan ahead and batch your tasks. Organise your time in the most functional and effective way
• take regular breaks. Think about sprinting your time and energy, not endless slogs

Don’t get bogged down in email

• it might be tempting to send more emails than usual to show you’re working – don’t do it!
• only send short emails. Make a call or set up a Zoom huddle/meeting if a few lines aren’t enough
• as well as keeping emails brief, don’t forget the other tips eg move people to bcc, turn off notifications and don’t farm emails 24/7 - only check them at set times each day

Don’t forget to recharge

• create time boundaries. Protect your “you” time and maintain energy for your work
• more flexible working hours can be a positive but don’t inflict early morning/late night or weekend emails on colleagues – save them in your drafts
• text or call if it’s a legitimate emergency

If you manage a team

Make a clear plan

Teams working remotely need clearer than normal goals, tasks, milestones and transparency of what other members of the team are working on. Consider introducing tasks which can take advantage of increased thinking and reading time.

Overcommunicate

Communicate at more regular intervals, swapping email for more videos and phone calls to engage everyone. Remember calls enable the most powerful tool of communication that email cannot: listening. And don’t forget feedback.

Involve everyone

Make sure the entire team is engaged in daily calls and tasks. If there really isn’t anything for someone to do on a particular day, let them know as early as possible so they’re not left hanging around all day or, worse, feeling guilty about not working

Staying healthy - some tips from our friends at Bodyism:

Keep moving

• if possible, get out of the house once a day for 45-60 minutes to get some fresh air and change your scenery. The exercise and change of mindset will help you stay focused and on task
• leave your desk every hour and do something else for 10 minutes. You probably won’t have the ergonomic working set-up you have in the office so regular breaks and moving around are even more important. Couches and beds are a disaster when it comes to working and will eventually lead to a bad back or neck issues. So if you are working from the couch, switch to a table and chair and prop your laptop on books so it’s level with your eyeline. 

Eat

Working from home is a great opportunity to get your nutrition on point. Stock up on fruit and veggies, whole grains and lean proteins. Plan to have three meals a day and then add in healthy snacks as you need them. 

Some simple snack ideas: 

• apple slices with almond butter 
• Greek yogurt with blueberries 
• carrot sticks with organic humus 
• hard boiled eggs 
• avocado on a slice of rye bread 

Drink

Don't overdo the coffee. Consider green tea (which has antioxidant properties and protects against cellular damage), hibiscus tea (tied to cardiovascular and numerous other health benefits), Rooibos (anti-inflammatory, improved digestive health, and obesity prevention), peppermint (enhances breathing function and reduces fatigue). Other than that water is going to be your best friend - try and drink two litres a day. If you can, then please buy a home filter to keep that water as pure as possible. 

Exercise

Now you don't have the commute, this leaves more time for exercise and a wave goodbye to the excuse "I don’t have the time". Adapt a home workout routine if you feel comfortable. If you don't, Bodyism have got your back. They will be sending over some home workout links later this week so you can enjoy a couple of your favourite classes at home. 

Mental health

Hopefully following all the above will help counter any feelings of disconnection which can go together with working remotely.

One more thing: don’t increase anxiety by constantly checking the news - only look at news updates at set times and get them from trusted sources.

Remember the NHS advice on staying healthy.

Need support for an artist?

Music Support’s 24/7 Helpline number: 0800 030 6789

The doors are now wide open for the Rolling Stones’ world-exclusive flagship store at No9 Carnaby Street, a project in partnership with Bravado, as the band’s latest album Goats Head Soup heads towards the number one spot today. The exterior is unmistakable, fully adorned with the iconic tongue and lips that have come to characterise the rock and roll legends, and as you head inside, you’ll be greeted by an unrivalled Stones experience for fans of all ages.

The store is located in the heart of Soho on Carnaby Street, the spiritual home of the Mods, Skinheads, Punks and New Romantics, so it seems a fitting place for a store that celebrates the legendary rock’n’roll band. Bravado have produced an eclectic mix of Stones-ified products to fill the store, from lighters to rain macs, t-shirts to glassware – you can even customise your own tee within 10 minutes, completely down to your own spec.

The music forms the core part of the experience, with a (now entirely sold out) store-exclusive limited edition run of Goats Head Soup vinyl in their very own shade ‘Stones Red’, which has been created especially by Pantone from the band’s first logo to launch alongside the store. Even the store’s window features a world first soundwave installation, taken from the opening to 1966’s Paint It Black. Lyrics sprawl across glass walkways, fitting rooms are adorned with album artwork, and the new album can be heard in top-notch quality from the Bowers and Wilkins speakers that line the walls, while giant screens play archive live footage of the legendary band performing, making it a hugely worthwhile trip to make for any true fan.

The reissue of the 1973 album Goats Head Soup represents the band’s 11th UK album release, and features three previously unheard tracks, plus a guest spot from Jimmy Page. Ali Tant, head of marketing at Polydor says, “It’s been an incredible experience this week seeing how the team across all of Universal have come together with the launch of RS No. 9 Carnaby, The Rolling Stones’ ground-breaking store on Carnaby Street, alongside the work that the team at Polydor have done with the release of Goats Head Soup 2020 in the midst of an exciting chart battle.”