By James Chater
Directors of
ensembles such as the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra or the World Orchestra for
Peace often make the claim that music has the power to “bring people together”,
both in the literal and metaphorical sense of the word. The name ‘World
Orchestra for Peace’ is a fortunate one in that it appears, at first glance, to
make total sense; much more sense than say, a ‘World Bird Watching Group for
Peace’. Music’s ability to draw people together is of course, not limited to
the world of classical music. You could easily ask why 200,000 people annually
descend on Worthy Farm in Somerset, for Glastonbury Festival. If you did ask
them, I bet they wouldn’t say it is due to the high standard of hygiene and
accommodation. Why is it then that music can make living in a field for five
days with 200,000 other people worthwhile? Is it naïve to think that music
really can “bring people together”? Or could a ‘World Knitting Group for Peace’
be equally as effective?
So how do these
orchestras purport to do it? It is a rather large claim after all, that music
can bring about world peace. It seems each orchestra has their own unique
manner in which they go about it. In the ‘ World Vision’ on the website of the
World Orchestra for Peace, director Charles Kaye states, “[The players] must
also accept that positions will be rotated after every work, and therefore
there is no room for even one player to say, “But I am concertmaster of my
orchestra at home – so I must sit first desk.” In this way we ensure there is
no hierarchy.” An admirable sentiment, but I would question this message’s
ability to translate to people outside of a musical culture. Would someone with
no knowledge of classical music be compelled to act after finding out the
person sitting half way back normally sits at the front?
I am a huge fan
of  |
| James Chater (left) - Photo: Richard Johnson |
I recently took
part in the Music for Youth Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, an event
which, until this year, I had never come across. I approached it with caution,
unsure as to what to expect. Yet, when leaving that same night, I felt
extremely guilty for ever harbouring doubt. The event brings young musicians
together from across the country, between the ages of 8 and 21, for a
celebration (and I mean celebration) of music. In the words of the organisation,
the music ranges “from Daft Punk to
Vaughan Williams, and Elbow to Tchaikovsky.” Impeccably co-ordinated and
organised, I have never seen something that summed up exactly why music can
bring us together, in a physical way. Everyone, without fail, left the Albert Hall
with a buzz of excitement, with many unforgettable memories made. Even I, with
the cold heart of one approaching the upper end of the age bracket, was stunned
by the occasion. I did not think I would ever get to play ‘Land of Hope and
Glory’ at the Albert Hall with a full auditorium shouting back at me,
accompanied by fireworks, streamers and balloons falling from the ceiling.
Music has the power to bring us together because, more so than anything else, we
can create and re-create something that means so much
In this spirit, we are
using the power of music to launch an appeal for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan,
which ripped through the Philippines on Friday 8th November. We
have established an appeal fund and have pledged to dedicate all proceeds from
our recent ‘Winter Jazz to Cheer Us’ Café Concert to the appeal.
