Music is the glue of our society. It’s everywhere: in concert halls, shopping centres, restaurants, cafés, taxis, petrol stations, places of religion, absolutely everywhere. But, in this time of isolation, we cannot visit those places. We cannot feel the sense of togetherness and community that we feel when we are surrounded by people — both loved ones and strangers. We have been forced to rethink our existence, our pace of life and ultimately what it is to be human.
At this very difficult time where it is not possible for us to be physically together, I wanted to try to find a way in which we could still unify and make music. So, I launched the Jess Gillam Virtual Scratch Orchestra, an online project where I publish parts for different pieces on my website and anyone of any ability can send in a video of themselves playing. We create an orchestra out of all the videos and then I play along live. It’s pretty much a big online party for musicians. I’m so grateful to the incredible producer Jonathan Allen (& team) for helping to make this possible. There are many amazing initiatives in many areas bringing us together (choirs, cooking, dance, yoga, other orchestras), so look out for them.
My aim with this project is to bring people together and to provide a little bit of that sense of belonging, identity and hope that music so often gives us.
The first piece the Virtual Scratch Orchestra will play is Where Are We Now by David Bowie. For me, Bowie was one of the most creative and inspiring souls. His music has an “otherworldness” to it — it’s as though he had lived on another planet where life was altogether more fantastical and explosive. I think that’s why his music seems particularly fitting at a time where it feels like we’re living Life On Mars.
We’re playing Where Are We Now by David Bowie. It captures our desperation and pockets of hope we see
Where Are We Now is a hauntingly beautiful song — it captures the desperation of this strange time we find ourselves in as well as the hope and the pockets of joy we are seeing around the world.
I truly believe that music can bring us together and make us feel a part of a whole. While writing this in my flat in a busy part of London, I can hear the birds singing endlessly. They’ve got it right, those birds. They know that sound can move us, motivate us, warm us and fill us with joy.
Let’s keep the birds singing, the kindness flowing and the music playing — I hope Bowie would have approved.
Jess Gillam will play live on her Instagram @jessgillamsax next week.
