Music in the Time of COVID: first steps

distributing gift-tech at
Govan & Linthouse Parish ChurchSince UK lockdown on the 23rd March, orchestras all over the world have been trying to grapple with the new reality. Many are finding themselves at the bottom of their government's priority list when it comes to reopening for business. That should come as no surprise - preventing viral spread in a concert hall is an absolute nightmare: the cleaning costs after each concert, the removal of rows of seats from the box office and the hall, reduced size orchestras to accommodate social distancing in orchestra pits and on stage etc. etc. etc.

As a regeneration orchestra, The Glasgow Barons has to respond to the people we serve locally, in this case, Govan, former ship building hub of the British Empire and now area of deep deprivation. Yes, we're fully professional, yes, we're a community orchestra in that our programming is built entirely to address the venues and needs of Govan. No, we're not here for the cheap rates and great transport links, and yes, we do hire people locally, because the only way to reverse deprivation is to put money in people's pockets in exchange for goods and services. Getting people through that long journey to a point where an employer can take them seriously has many steps: volunteering, rehab, training, self-confidence building, counselling or coaching through organisations like Unlock Employment.

During these first few weeks of lockdown, here are some of our first steps.

Musicians in Exile online

Musicians in Exile is our community music project for asylum seeking and refugee musicians. After our weekly rehearsals in Govan were cancelled, the group decided to keep working online. This means weekly zoom meetings to check up on everyone, with three professional facilitators, myself and 12 musicians. It means working online together to create songs such as the Persian number Saaghie Mey Kharan:


BBC Radio Scotland reportage





Quarantine Classics

Secondly, I'm now broadcasting every Sunday at 8pm for Sunny Govan FM community radio as part of a larger home DJ team, providing up to date community info and entertainment for Govan and Greater Glasgow. Why is radio still important? Because it's free and more accessible than the internet. Among the vulnerable groups we reach are:
the Radio Generation, baby boomers who prefer traditional media, or don't want to jump the hurdles of going online Disabled people whose internet access is reduced because their carers are currently less available to them those who can't afford the internet. This includes asylum seekers and refugees, so I offer to top up pay-as-you-go mobiles for anyone in Musicians in Exile who needs it


Gift Tech

Organised through Govan Housing Association, Clyde College's Gift-Tech scheme lends out free laptops and PCs reconditioned from their obsolete stock. Through local referrals from schools and organisations such as Govan Community Project and Kinning Park Complex, people can get online to stay in touch with families, keep kids occupied and make sure they do their online homework.

They can then collect the tech from me at Govan & Linthouse Parish Church from 12.30-2pm every Wednesday.

Whilst internet provision in Govan is less available than elsewhere for reasons mentioned above, coronavirus and information dissemination has forced the issue into the spotlight, and will become more prominent as the Riverside Innovation District, which includes us, begins to take hold.