Bocelli-Jameel Scholar to perform with Andrea Bocelli at ‘Believe in Christmas’ virtual concert

• Global livestream festive concert will be broadcast from the Teatro Regio di Parma opera house on December 12
• The concert is presented by Maestro Bocelli in partnership with Community Jameel, which co-founded the Bocelli-Jameel Scholarship in 2019
• Clara Barbier Serrano, a soprano, is the inaugural scholar and will perform 'Amazing Grace' alongside Maestro Bocelli at the event

French soprano Clara Barbier Serrano, the inaugural recipient of the Bocelli-Jameel Scholarship at the Royal College of Music in London (RCM), will join world renowned classical artist Andrea Bocelli on stage at the Teatro Regio di Parma opera house on December 12 to perform the hymn 'Amazing Grace' in the ‘Believe in Christmas’ virtual concert.

The concert is presented by Maestro Bocelli in partnership with Community Jameel, the international organisation that joined the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) to create the scholarship in 2019. As well as Christmas favourites, the event will include songs from Andrea Bocelli’s newly released album, ‘Believe’, and a full-orchestra accompaniment and will feature surprise guests. Franco Dragone, well-known for his work with Cirque Du Soleil, is overseeing creative direction for the performance.

The historic global livestream concert, which will be broadcast from the prestigious opera house, will be a live ticketed event with streams time-zoned to specific regions around the globe.

The partnership between Community Jameel, Maestro Bocelli and ABF runs deep, and extends beyond support for the arts. Earlier this year, Community Jameel worked closely with the ABF to support local Italian communities tackle COVID-19, including the funding of a local medical facility in Macerata, a badly hit community in Le Marche region.

Maestro Andrea Bocelli said: “Ten years ago, my friendship with Mohammed Jameel was decisive in inspiring me to set up a foundation to make the most of the wealth of relationships we had built up around the world, to allow us to contribute to the building of a better world in the most efficient way possible. Thus was born the ABF.”

The Maestro added: “Today I celebrate once more the privilege of standing side by side with Community Jameel at the great musical event of December 12, which will be live-streamed from the Parma theatre. It will be a joy to celebrate art and music together, in the same spirit that already unites us on other important issues of empowerment, such as the establishment of scholarships at the Royal College of Music in London. The first beneficiary of this scholarship, the soprano Clara Barbier Serrano, will be beside me in Parma to celebrate in music the Christmas spirit.”

“It will be a truly special moment to see soprano Clara Barbier Serrano, the first recipient of the Bocelli-Jameel Scholarship, on stage with Maestro Bocelli at this historic event. This opportunity to perform with such a celebrated artist, and to thousands around the globe, goes far beyond what we had imagined possible when we launched the scholarship a little over a year ago,” said Mohammed Jameel KBE, Founder and Chairman of Community Jameel.

Mr Jameel added: “It is a great honour for Community Jameel to partner with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation on this historical event. Our close partnership with Andrea Bocelli and his foundation is longstanding, and we look forward to working together over the coming years to support young students achieve their musical aspirations.”

Earlier this year, Clara became the first recipient of the Bocelli-Jameel Scholarship which saw her assume a place at the RCM opera studio.

Launched in November 2019 by the ABF and Community Jameel, the scholarship is designed to open the door to gifted singers from around the world who wish to study full time at the RCM.

The scholarship is awarded to talented musicians chosen both on merit assessed at audition and their need for support to overcome barriers and access world-class training at the RCM, ranked the top institution for performing arts in the UK for five consecutive years (QS World University Rankings).