Christopher Nicholls

Symphony For Life Foundation

We give all kinds of children the opportunity to play musical instruments and create music in highly engaging community-based programs. We focus on children who never have had the chance to own and play an instrument, often from less privileged and diverse ethnic communities. How our community has met the challenges of a changed world The first part of 2020 has proven a huge challenge to us all, keeping our families safe, keeping businesses afloat but also making sure that the essential work done by not-for-profit organisations like Symphony for Life continues to support our communities when they need it most. Our priority over the last months has been to keep our program staff and children safe above everything else; we had to abandon face-to-face teaching and pause while we put the teaching program online. We are now up and running with a 100% digital program across lessons, mentoring and group classes. Our parents have been supportive and enthusiastic throughout, helping to ensure their kids practice and tune into lessons at the right time. Our kids have adapted to online learning better than adults probably would have and thankfully the music keeps on playing in their homes. Most importantly we have been able to continue to provide employment for music teachers and music professionals who are doing it tough with the cancellation of live music across the country. Although it has been a huge struggle and stressful, a crisis like this brings out the best in us. It is particularly true of the incredible team of our indefatigable CEO David Close and the music professionals who deliver our programs. Our Director of Programs Chris Bennett sent us an inspiring email in the darkest days of the COVID-19 lockdown: "I'm excited because education is going to change a lot over the next year and I am looking forward to Symphony for Life being a part of that. Out of necessity we are being forced to adapt, but my feelings are there is a huge opportunity to do new things"