Singing down the days ’til Christmas
Maidenhead: Mums launch special musical advent calendar
Maidenhead musician Helen Styles has written a new piece especially for the ‘Musical Advent Calendar’, a sociallydistanced, lockdown alternative to advent and Christmas carol services.
After losing most of the year’s performing work to COVID-19, The Musician Mums, a collective of freelance musicians supporting each other with the challenges of being a musician and a mother, have created an online celebratory gift of Christmas music, ‘A Musical Advent’.
Every day a new piece of music will be performed by a different artist – like a real calendar, the music is a surprise hidden behind the ‘doors’ of each day. Each segment is around 3-8 minutes.
The Musical Advent features a mix of styles and instruments including community musicians like Helen, an award-winning concert pianist, a West End star and a Royal Opera House soprano.
Helen, who also conducts three choirs including the Maidenhead-based Tuesday Singers, Twyford Singers and Laudamus Chamber Choir, performs her contribution with her daughters Katie, 13, and Beth, 10. To film their festive segment, the family decorated their house weeks in advance.
“Usually we musicians would be working flat out at this time of year. Though we whinge about it, we love it really,” said Helen.
“This calendar gives us a focus – a positive project that gives us a creative outlet. It’s something joyful to open each day.”
Sales of the Musical Advent Calendar will provide financial support to all the freelance musicians involved, many of whom have lost all their work for the foreseeable future.
Helen and her children have also been specially commended recently by the Royal Philharmonic Society in its ‘Inspiration award’ section for their ‘Sing a Song a Day’ performances during the first lockdown.
The family sang online daily,
‘with tireless energy and enthusiasm’ for 120 days in a row. One parent told the Royal Philharmonic Society that this provided a ‘cheery and inspirational focal point every single day.’
For more information on the Musical Advent Calendar, contact Joanna Sleight at contact@musicaladvent.com
You can also preview the December 1 advent window for free at www.musicaladvent. com