It’s always nice to hear about a new arts organisation. And the rather prosaically-named NW Live, which has just launched, has come up with the clever idea of producing concerts that explore important social themes through “imaginative performances” of classical and world music.
That means in unexpected places. “Our performers are high calibre instrumentalists, singers and dancers,” says founder and artistic director Caroline Heslop. “We reimagine classical and world music in neighbourhood venues and run community workshops alongside the concerts. For 2018/19 we have three planned, the first of which is Music and Mind.”
Exploring the influence of music on mood and thought, the programme for this event, which takes place on Bartholomew Road at the end of the month, ranges from improvisations for tabla and string quartet to a performance of the Grosse Fugue by Beethoven. There will also be solo cello music by Bach, quartet movements by Shostakovitch and Janacek and duos by Bartok, Schulhoff and Berio.
With leading performer Kuljit Bhamra MBE on tabla alongside prize winning Alkyona String Quartet and acclaimed actress Saskia Reeves reading a variety of texts that reflect on the relationship of music and mind, the evening promises to be “extraordinary”, says Heslop.
Workshops are also running throughout November invite locals to contribute creative writing exploring their personal experiences of the meaning music can have for mental health, and these will also be read at the concert.