LSO Connect: Strength in Community
Creating art and music with local residents aged 60+
Of 326 local authorities, Islington – the LSO's local borough – ranks eighth nationally for risk of loneliness amongst older adults. Research shows that participating in group music activities can decrease older adults’ loneliness and increase their wellbeing.
Those two facts lie at the heart of one of LSO Discovery's newest projects, LSO Connect. In the first six months of 2021, which started with England living in a third lockdown, members of the local community aged 60+ and LSO musicians came together via Zoom to share in creating new music and art, inspired by community and hope for the future.
What is LSO Connect?
LSO Connect is principally an intergenerational programme. It aims to reduce isolation and loneliness among older adults (aged 60+) living in the LSO's surrounding Islington community, and increase their participation in the arts through creative music workshops in collaboration with primary school children from the local area.
Intergenerational activities in particular, can decrease older adults’ loneliness and increase their wellbeing, whilst giving them the opportunity to develop new creative and personal skills.
What is the Claremont Project?
The Claremont Project is a community arts day centre for over-55s based in Islington. Its aim is to reach particularly isolated members of the local community by providing a range of aspirational groups and activities for people to engage with. 'Essentially, we are about offering opportunities for our members to shine and live happier, healthier, more connected lives!'
Meet Evelyn
'Twelve years ago, at the age of 60, I joined a local choir and a dance exercise class – that was the extent of my activities, but then of course lockdown happened, and everything ceased. I felt quite lost and lonely.
Then Claremont happened! It became my lifeline with the outside world, my social life, getting to know so many faces and names of the lovely members, who are now my friends. My mental, physical and emotional health has improved immensely, as have my skills.'
Meet Manuel
'I am Spanish, and have been living in London for almost fifty years. I worked for the Royal Mail for 28 years, and retired five years ago. I started drawing and painting soon after I retired and three years ago I joined the Claremont ukulele class – now I am learning the guitar.
Claremont helps all of us a great deal. The staff are very helpful and friendly, and they ring us from time to time to see how we are getting on. I've made some good friends by attending the classes.'
A New Project: First Steps
Celia, LSO Community Projects Co-ordinator, and Martha, Centre Assistant at Claremont, explain how the project came into being
'During a time of such disconnect since March 2020, we found ourselves at Claremont striving to find something to bring our members together in a positive, creative and kind environment. We felt that the chance to work with the LSO again (after a project with them in 2018) would be a perfect way to do this.
At the start of this process both the LSO and Claremont team came together on Zoom and workshopped some ideas. It was January 2021, when things were looking very bleak in England. However, batches of the vaccine were beginning to arrive in hospitals throughout the UK, and spring was just around the corner. It felt really important to focus on moving forwards.
We settled on the theme ‘Awakenings’. It was time to look ahead, to open our eyes and work with what interests, inspires and excites us. In Claremont’s eyes you are never ‘too old’ to wake up and get stuck into a new pursuit.'
'At the time the theme of 'Awakenings' was introduced, I wrote:
Is this just a dream,
Or a new awakening,
Is this the end of the gloom,
Or the beginning of a bloom.'
'I think ‘awakenings’ had quite a specific meaning, it was about a regeneration after what has felt like a dormant period of time – it represents positivity and looking to the future.'
Matthew Gardner, LSO Violin
Getting Started: A 'Typical' Workshop
Rhia Parker (pictured below) led six workshops through February and March 2021 – it still being during lockdown. 'The team was made up of myself and three brilliant LSO musicians – Matthew Gardner (violin), Amanda Truelove (cello) and Jim Maynard (trombone), who brought their sparkling musicianship to the project, and supported the creative process and all the participants with warmth and generosity.' The 12 participants from Claremont were themselves artists, musicians, dancers and all round inspiring creatives!
'Facilitating a Zoom workshop was far from my usual typical workshop plan. However, the fundamentals remained the same. The workshops started by welcoming everyone into the space. We'd begin with a stretch and some sort of physical movement, and enjoy the beautiful playing of LSO musicians to warm up our ears. Early on in the project I shared a couple of simple songs which we would sing together to warm up our voices too, embracing the slightly chaotic nature of trying to synchronise sound on Zoom.'
An LSO Connect session on Zoom
An LSO Connect session on Zoom
Art Inspired by Music
During the workshops, the participants from Claremont were encouraged to immerse themselves in live music played by LSO musicians. Time was given to discussing the various themes in the music, learning about various musical techniques, and really breaking down what was heard.
They were encouraged to respond by creating art, working in any medium they felt comfortable with, using the music to inspire both the artistic techniques used and material created. Perhaps the strokes of a violin bow would inspire the strokes of their paintbrush, for example.
'It was with great trepidation that I took a deep breath and decided to see what the LSO workshop was about. I'm quite a shy person, so this was a huge challenge for me! I was completely out of my comfort zone, and felt I had nothing to offer.
Bit by bit, with the encouragement and suggestions from LSO, I started to feel more at ease and I even got to thinking if there was anything I actually had to offer. I found myself starting to write poems again (something I hadn't done for many many years).'
'The theme ‘Awakenings’ meant a number of different things to me. Looking towards new beginnings and a move towards positive energy; moving away from the restrictive period we have all been in recently and a focus on the wonderful things we can (and should) observe around us; regeneration.
Jim Maynard, LSO Trombone
New Music Inspired by Art
With participants sharing the artwork they had created in the first few weeks, the group starting working together to compose a piece of music inspired by that art.
'We had conversations as a full group about the direction we wanted the music to go in. As smaller groups in virtual breakout rooms, we shared work that had been created between sessions.
Everyone was involved in the musical element, whether they had instruments at home or not. Some participants improvised by making a drum out of a household object, a shaker from a bottle and some rice, or by experimenting with their voice. As well as getting everyone thinking outside the box, it also showed that music does not have to be restricted to a formal instrument.
'I created the following lines:
Plants need the sun,
And they need the rain.
I need my art and music
I need my family and my friends.
Manuel's painting of St Lawrence's Church
At the time I painted a few pictures, one of them is St Lawrence's Church in Cannon's Park. It is believed Handel the composer played the church organ when he was staying nearby with the Duke of Chandos.'
Manuel's painting of St Lawrence's Church
Manuel's painting of St Lawrence's Church
''Awakenings' means new-found skills, energy and enthusiasm, meeting new people, sharing experiences. A more confident, healthier, all-encompassing me. A true awakening of myself, inside and out.'
Evelyn
Refining our Musical Ideas
As the project went on, the ideas and discussions around the theme of 'Awakenings' began to be transformed into musical tracks, which Rhia created between sessions. These were shared with the group so everyone could give feedback about what they felt needed tweaking or modifying.
Rhia continues, 'There was a constant dialogue. Whatever was offered – be it an idea, a drawing, a poem, a song, a movement – it was received with warmth and encouragement. The level of respect of each and every creative voice in the group was deeply moving, and fostered a sense of openness and curiosity. It meant that our final collection of ‘artefacts’ with which to create a new piece of music and art included poetry, field recordings, film, choreographed movements, spoken word, visual artworks as well as song and instrumental playing.'
'Everyone from LSO was so lovely, encouraging, and friendly. As for the Claremont members I got to know, the support and respect for each other's creations was very warming.
I found myself joining in and suggesting movements in workshops, and eventually singing. How I found the confidence to record an audio clip of myself singing alone I have no idea! Achieving all this gave me confidence and a feeling of self-worth, and I felt so proud of myself for accepting and completing the challenge. And I was so so pleased for everything that all the others achieved – they were amazing!'
All of the 'artefacts' collected – music, artwork, poetry, more – were brought together to create a film, a collaborative product of the project, edited and mixed by Cieran Smith. Watch it below …
Sharing the Film: Together at Last
In the summer of 2021, the participants enjoyed two firsts: watching this final film, and doing so altogether in person for the very first time!
'Watching the final film was a humbling experience, reminding me just how much creative energy there was from the participants in every session (with some particularly beautiful artwork). The pace of the film mirrored the ‘organic’ process in making the music. There was such freedom in the creative process, and the result was that it felt like we had all been on a journey together. A joyful and unique experience!'
Jim Maynard, LSO Trombone
'I was amazed at how many ideas we came up with, the variety of sounds was incredible. I feel proud to have participated.'
Manuel
What's next for LSO Connect?
Building on the success of the Awakenings project with Claremont, LSO Discovery is now working with two more older adults groups through the LSO Connect programme – over 55s from St Luke’s Community Centre and the Forget-Me-Not Group from Golden Lane Community Centre. Both groups will be joined by 9–10-year-olds from St Luke’s C of E Primary School in a series of intergenerational workshops throughout autumn 2021.
Inspired by Smetana’s In My Life, an autobiographical piece of music for string quartet, workshop leader Rachel Leach is encouraging all participants to share their own life stories, connect with each other and make music together.
And for Claremont and its members?
'We will continue to be a bustling hub of creativity and friendship, with a membership that is continually producing, making, creating and inspiring – because as one of our members likes to say, 'If not now, then when?''
'I have learned to live the moment. And despite the sadness and all that has gone with this dreadful pandemic I learned to find some sort of gratitude every day. Finding a life courtesy of Claremont has definitely been my saving grace.'
'Since the end of the project I have been able to see my grandchildren and I have met with members of my painting group. I keep busy with my art and music. Looking to the future, I feel that we have to enjoy life as much as possible.'
LSO Connect is generously supported by the Postcode Community Trust and The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust. Postcode Community Trust is a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People's Postcode Lottery.
With special thanks to Cieran Smith, audio and video editor.
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