City Of London Sinfonia - Project

I’m immensely grateful to the musicians for spending time with these young people.

Feedback from a mother of a patient involved in CLS’ Sound Young Minds

The support of BBT was vital to CLS at a time when our work in communities was increasingly becoming the driving force behind our whole creative outlook. Having such a prestigious supporter of music who valued this work in the same way as we do, and wanted to work with us in partnership, has enabled us to expand our community scope, even during a difficult time for all musicians and the communities they work in.

Matthew Swann, Chief Executive

City of London Sinfonia (CLS) has been bringing music engagement into various healthcare settings for more than 30 years via its Wellbeing Through Music programme and continues to respond to a growing crisis in mental health.  Vulnerable and isolated people of all ages benefit from interactive exploration of music in hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, hospices and care homes, resulting in improved relationships, confidence, self-esteem and self-expression, as well as greater responsiveness to clinical treatment.

CLS used its 2019 BBT Community Grant to develop its Comfortable Classical series of relaxed performances where audiences, including those with autism, dementia and sensory impairments, are able to come and go as they wish and also engage in other relaxation activities during the concerts. In 2020 CLS won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Impact Award for the project Sound Young Minds, which originated in partnership with Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School and was one of the initiatives supported by the orchestra’s Community Grant.

On 18 November 2020 the City of London Sinfonia won the RPS Impact Award for the project Sound Young Minds, which originated in partnership with Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School and one of the initiatives supported by the orchestra’s 2019 BBT Community Grant.

Read the BBT Blog about CLS Adapting to Lockdown: Comfortable Classical online here