Press release

04 October 2018

04 October 2018

CNWL Support More than Just Choir event

More than Just A choir will perform a specially written work by Toni Castells, a composer and music lecturer at Imperial College. He has written a suite, which will be performed on Saturday 20 October at LSO St Luke's, UBS and LSO Music Education Centre, 161 Old Street, London EC1V 9NG.

CNWL is pleased to sponsor the event (from charitable funds).

More Than Just a Choir is a social and singing group, in Harrow, for adults affected by mental illness.

Founded in 2009 to help patients, carers and their families, More Than Just a Choir is volunteer led, facilitated by the Harrow Rethink Support Group.

They have a regular attendance of 30 to 40 people, every week, at the Bridge Day Centre, in Harrow.

In 2017 they put on more than 20 events, including visiting the BBC Proms and had a short film made, by the BBC, broadcast on BBC2' s Proms Extra programme.

This year they have performed in Paddington at The Voices of London Festival and in July 2018 More Than Just a Choir organised and hosted A Musical Party in The Park, bringing together several local health and well-being organisations.

Their most ambitious project to date will be to perform a specially written work by Toni Castells, a composer and lecturer at Imperial College.

He is working on a PhD connecting music and mental health. He has written a suite, to be performed on Sat 20th October.

Organiser David Phelops, said, "This is by far the biggest and most ambitious project we have undertaken and I have been amazed and uplifted by the way that members have responded to the challenge. Everyone that is able to participate has put so much focus and concentration into it, far surpassing my expectations. It looks like we will have a 30-strong choir on stage on the night. The work will be publicly performed with professional musicians. This is all at once, incredibly exciting and very daunting!"

Editor's notes

Case studies

Case study 1: M took two years of persuading to join the choir. After many months of attending and staying quietly in the background, she is now regularly attending early, helping to set out refreshments and has requested that she be directly contacted. The Party in The Park, held in July 2018 was the first time she attended a choir function outside the Bridge.

Case Study 2: L came to the choir and for many weeks would sit on her own during the social time at rehearsals and only come in to sing, but would rarely stay for a whole session. Gradually, as she got used to attending and to the noisy throng at the choir, she started taking more interest, socialising and staying longer. A talented musician, herself and being a former teacher, before she became unwell, she started to help David with conduct.

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 7,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. For more information about CNWL, please visit our website:www.cnwl.nhs.uk