That's what friends are for!

Undeterred by the current coronavirus crisis, members of Mountbatten’s Community Choir have taken to technology to keep on practising. 

Unable to meet for their usual Wednesday night practice in the John Cheverton Centre at Mountbatten Hospice, 43 members of the 100 strong choir were led in song online by leader and Mountbatten Music Therapist Fraser Simpson. In the first attempt at using webcams and microphones as a group, they practiced a number of songs including ‘That’s what friends are for’.  

Fraser Simpson, Mountbatten Music Therapist, said: “Singing together feels like an amazing way to combat the isolation and anxiety that we are all experiencing at the moment in this extraordinary time. The choir community has become a closely knit group of friends and last night showed that the power of music to hold our community together can withstand just about anything that life throws up!” 

Feedback from members of the group has shown how invaluable the choir community has become. Comments included:

“It was very novel to see more than one person at at a time, and with me living on my own and also working from home, it gave me immense pleasure seeing you all again!” 

“The online meeting is as social as the actual one. Great fun as people get to understand the technology.” 

“I found it really moving, and it’s just so lovely to connect with others at the moment - probably even more so for people on their own.” 

“I so enjoyed seeing you and other choir friends again. Feel we all lifted one another’s spirits.” 

Anyone who would like to join the online choir can email Fraser  Practices are taking place online at 6:30pm every Wednesday evening. Music therapy at Mountbatten is provided through a partnership with Nordoff Robbins, the largest independent music therapy charity in the UK.