A forty-piece orchestra walk into a prison…
Chris Heighton, Head of Music at DMU and Simon Bland, resettlement caseworker at Her Majesty’s Prison Leicester gave an informative, emotive, and educational seminar.
The Talent Unlocked programme began with the wild idea to take a 40-piece orchestra into a prison. This incredible experiment included 4 double basses, a drum kit and a whole load of music stands. Of course, this is no ordinary feat, especially since every instrument had to be checked before it was admitted within the prison walls.
This performance was an important moment in the prison’s history as it was the first orchestral performance there in 191 years. The way the speakers described the initial anxieties about going to do the performance in prison was enlightening but when I heard the result of the concert I was blown away.
The music that they had chosen to play were orchestral renditions of classic rock songs: think AC/DC, Queen, Oasis and even the theme tune from Match of the Day. All the arrangements were created by the Adrian Varela from the Philharmonia Orchestra and the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody actually gave me goosebumps. After the concert the band, prisoners, and prison staff all talked together. It sounded like an amazing experience for all involved.
"in a world of people consuming through a screen, the sound of a real instrument is largely lost, while the live performance is almost a haunting experience."
Rosella Hazeldine
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