A new music platform has brought work to hundreds of musicians globally who have suffered dramatic income losses due to COVID-19.
The online platform, Aeyons, has connected world-class musicians with students of all ages across 17 countries for hundreds of real-time private tutorials since its launch in March.
It’s the creation of musician and former Drummond resident Geoff Collinson who says the platform has grown beyond his imagining – and there’s a chance for Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander locals to be part of its momentum.
Collinson was on the verge of launching an online music teaching platform in China at the beginning of the year but said he had a “complete other opportunity to help musicians around the world when COVID struck”.
“We decided to make a change to help right now,” he said.
Throughout the pandemic, Collinson has seen dozens of talented musicians and friends lose everything as events and venues shut down overnight.
“COVID has impacted the music sector in a devastating way,” he said.
“There have been no gigs since March and sadly being out of work has become a common story. We know there are musicians out there who need something like this.”
His business pivot has been exactly that for at least 170 musicians now connecting and sharing their talents across the globe, including 40 Australian professionals with room for more.
Award-winning percussionist David Jones is one of those who came on board and described Aeyons as a “lifeline” during the Melbourne lockdown period.
“Not only for my earning, which has certainly needed a helping hand, but it has also contributed to a sense of wellbeing and given opportunities to teach new and old students online,” he said.
The model foresees faculty numbers reaching 5000 by the end of year five with 1.4 million individual lessons expected annually by that time.
“The response has been incredible. It just boomed! We have now partnered with global investors. The whole thing has kind of gone ballistic,” Collinson said.
Aeyons is partnering with musicians from the world’s great orchestras such as Australian World Orchestra, LA PHIL, London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Collinson himself has more than 30 years of professional industry experience including principal horn of Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, head of brass at the University of Melbourne and co-founder of the Melbourne International Festival of Brass.
Aeyons has an exclusive partnership with the Australian Music Examinations Board including a Chinese distribution licence. The burgeoning Chinese classical music instrument education sector will be a key component.
More recent connections have formed with the Be Earth Foundation: an organisation working closely with the UN and private sector to improve sustainability.
The foundation will work with partners like Aeyons to replicate the Recycled Orchestra Project by transforming household waste into musical instruments for those with otherwise limited access who will also be linked to lessons.
Collinson said the idea behind Aeyons was to make the highest level of music education accessible to everyone and inspire sharing musical talent.
“Music has been my life and music education is incredibly important to me,” Collinson said.
“Music is one of our greatest learning resources and can make so much difference to our other learning experience.”
