LMN South East Director, Nina Swann, with Promenaders' Musical Charities Fund Trustees Paul Davies and Andrew Mills. Photo Credit: Simon Jay Price
Thanks to generous support from The Promenaders' Musical Charities 2013 Fund, Live Music Now's London/South East branch offered a taste of the transformative power and unparalleled excellence of the Proms to those unable to experience it for themselves.
In a year-long programme for newly recruited ensembles, Live Music Now musicians gave 30 participatory performances in care homes, day centres, hospitals and hospices, allowing access to high-quality live music for up to 1000 people who would otherwise have limited access to such experiences. New musicians to the scheme were supported by training sessions and mentoring from LMN alumni musicians and other experts in the profession.
I'm very impressed, not only with the musicians but with the response from the audience and their participation. I didn't expect such a response to the sort of music in the show. I didn't expect them to know Puccini – it's not the normal music they hear. They (typically) listen to war songs, Knees up Mother Brown. They like the opera……. This is very satisfying – when you don't expect them to enjoy it and they really do. So satisfying. Son of a resident at Cheverton Lodge Care Home
Here's a clip of LMN Musicians Westcombe Brass performing at Share Community centre for adults with learning difficulties in Clapham.
