Deputy Mayor's Blog: The power of music

As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato once said, 'music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything' and I am delighted to say that still rings true in the Borough of Richmond today.

The Mayor and I have had the pleasure of attending various events recently where we have listened to some fabulous music and have been magnificently entertained and perhaps even more importantly where we have also learned just how vital and empowering music can be to those who make it.

There are few places that demonstrate this more clearly than the Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT) founded in 1991 by Dr Margaret Lobo and her husband Walter, in memory of opera singer and voice teacher Otakar Kraus, and which provides music therapy for people of all ages who have physical, psychological, learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties. The Trust improves quality of life and wellbeing and provides lasting benefits to hundreds of children and adults who are marginalised due to communication difficulties, disability, or poverty, as well as building partnerships to increase the provision of music therapy in the community and improving awareness of disability and the benefits which music therapy can bring. These range from increased self-expression, developing social skills and making friends to gaining more confidence and focus. One student said:

"OK Music School has given me the courage to stand in front of a crowd and speak or sing. Music shows more than you can ever think."

Earlier in the month the Mayor saw this for herself when she opened OKMT's Music Marathon which was a non-stop music extravaganza lasting six hours and included the OK Music School Band and other young performers, Kew Community Choir, a string quarter, piano solos and duet, a folk group, a recorder group, opera singing, guitar playing, a Ukrainian women’s refugee choir, Richmond Orchestra and more. It was a veritable feast for the senses highlighting many kinds of music and instruments and involving lots of participants. It was hugely inspiring. 

On the same day the Mayor attended the Music Marathon, I was delighted to be at the legendary cabaret evening at St Richard's Church in Ham which was back by popular demand. This wonderful iconic building, a unique 1960’s design which surrounds us with light and air with its remarkable soaring ceilings, had its amazing hexagonal interior filled with local musical talent helping to fundraise for much needed roof repairs. The local community is determined to prevent this beautiful place, with all its precious memories, from disappearing and the cabaret evening was a crucial part of that effort. What a musical treat we had with fantastic performances by Mad Stick Dog, Nightshades with Becky, the Indigo Reunion, Hanwell Ukulele Group, and the hugely special surprise of Becky's daughter Margot singing a song from Frozen. Both Becky and her brother Stephen from Indigo Reunion have performed at St Richard's since they were children and their rendition of one of my favourite songs, Billie Holliday's God Bless the Child which Becky dedicated to Margot, was absolutely magical and took my breath away. Soul was in evidence and touched the audience in a way only music can at St Richard's that evening. Find out more about saving St Richard's events.

The sound of the ukulele was again heard at Barnes Common Autumn Fayre recently where one of the Mayor's chosen charities, Age UK Richmond's Patch Ukulele Band provided a great musical accompaniment to this fun family event celebrating Apple Day and all things Autumn including fungi walks, a conker competition, an eco explorers photo walk and natural crafts. The music both attracted and welcomed people to as well as entertained them during this marvellous community event highlighting the local wildlife and flora on Barnes Common and the importance of conserving it for future generations. Music has a way of gathering people of all ages and backgrounds together, relaxing them and helping them enjoy themselves that is hard to quantify but how right Plato was when he said it gives life to everything! Information on the work of Barnes Common can be found online.

Music is also at the core of local charity Voices of Hope whose annual dinner I was honoured to attend at the end of last month and where I was treated to an incredible performance from members of the Voices of Hope Choir. The inspiration of Sarah Clay, a music graduate and an Associate of the Royal College of Music, the charity started out from small beginnings in 2019 with several community choirs reaching women who had been through abuse or faced long term physical and mental health difficulties and older people in care homes. By 2020 Voices of Hope was running 11 choir projects and they were so successful that in June 2022 the charity worked with several of their older people choirs to write a song based on their meaningful memories. This was then taught to the choirs, recorded, mixed, and mastered and Coming Home is now available to download on all major platforms. During COVID, Voices of Hope also launched their Active Breathing Course (ABC), a 6-week online course to help people recover from Long COVID and long-term respiratory conditions which was initially inspired by some of the breathing techniques used by professional singers. The ABC course has been so successful that it has been recognised by the NHS and Voices of Hope have been funded to deliver the course for Kingston and Richmond residents.  The course now receives regular referrals from Kingston Hospital, GPs, and Social Prescribers due to its successful outcomes. Along with its creative projects, Voices of Hope is also spearheading Food Projects (Brite Boxes/Community Pantry) and Women's Projects (Women's Hub and Pearl Network).

There can be no doubt about the amazing reach of music and I am thrilled it continues to give flight to the imagination in our Borough which has an extraordinary musical heritage from being a centre for R&B, jazz and rock music at Eel Pie Island in the 1950's and 60's (the Eel Pie Club still operates out of the Cabage Patch) to hosting many of the musical greats at the erstwhile Olympic Recording Studios in Barnes and major music concerts at Twickenham Stadium today. If you are looking for a night out with friends or family, Richmond upon Thames is an excellent choice for live music and entertainment - The Turk's Head, the Bull's Head, The Crown, One Kew Road are just a few of the many venues with live music offerings and the Borough also holds lots of music festivals across the year.

Check out Visit Richmond's music events page and remember the EFG London Jazz Festival will take place from Friday 10 to Sunday 19 November 2023 and there are many musical Christmas events planned. Enjoy!

Share this