Music Matters: Easy listening during lockdown

Whilst music has played a vital role in supporting the nation’s wellbeing over recent weeks, for professional musicians whose livelihoods depend on performing and/or teaching, a return to business as usual is still some way off.

Online lessons look set to continue - and indeed have proved popular. Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti launched a three week project offering free music classes online and delivered a high- quality experience for lots of young musicians. Online initiatives, such as this, have gained momentum over the past two months, promoting music and training to wider audiences. Whether regular online classes become standard practice remains to be seen, but clearly necessity has created a situation where tutors and students have been forced to work differently. If you would like information on how to access music tuition locally email: [email protected]

For performers, an online presence has offered a fantastic outlet for sharing creativity and, for some, earning potential too. The sheer volume and diversity of online choirs, orchestras and bands is incredible. Musicians from across the world have been brought together in exciting, moving and varied ways over recent weeks and provided some great entertainment.

However, with gigs, festivals and other live performances still postponed and cancelled over the summer and beyond, the difficulties of bringing audiences together to enjoy music in a single place remains challenging. 

One solution is to present drive-in concerts and the BBC recently reported on a performance in Copenhagen by Danish musician Mads Langer. With cars (containing members of one household) parked a suitable distance apart, the solo performer took to the stage with the sound relayed to the car radios. The Danes have embraced the concept with over 70 shows planned over coming months. 

Promoters and event planners across the UK will be busy drawing up home-grown schemes, but the logistics, organisational and environmental considerations are significant and limiting. Whilst a drive- in might offer another way of bridging the immediate gap in the market, the whole point of a shared experience is missing for both the audience and artist and so we must continue to wait patiently for the safe return of our live music entertainment.  

This month’s lockdown musical inspiration comes from Lennie Street from West Yorkshire. The 8- year-old with cerebral palsy has raised more than £5,000 to help his school by learning 100 pieces of music by ear on the piano. Lennie’s new repertoire now features Beethoven to Justin Bieber. 

Closer to home, with local venues remaining closed, Stamford Arts Centre has launched a new online programme for June and July. The mixed discipline schedule seeks to capture some of the venue’s highly popular Cellar Bar programme. Online music for June includes; Jazz in Cellar Bar (12 June) and ‘Almost Live’ (18-19 June) an hour-long mixed genre programme. For details visit stamfordartscentre.com

Though things are far from normal, getting out and about will be easier this month. Let’s continue to make music matter and support the nation’s musicians in any way we can - but from a safe distance of course.