Music for Autism

I don’t normally see people cry in church, the preaching isn’t generally that bad. But last summer I did see people crying for joy when we worked for a day with Music for Autism and the Orchestra of St John’s. Children and young people on the autistic spectrum, from schools across Wiltshire, arrived anxiously with their enablers as a professional orchestra prepared at the front of the Abbey. As the music started everyone relaxed a bit and then the conductor, John Lubbock, started to gently encourage young people to come forward and conduct the orchestra. Children from all across the Abbey started to volunteer, the orchestra played wonderfully and staff were delighted. In the words of Alice Langtree from our congregation, who is a Member of the British Council Disability Advisory Panel, ‘in over 20 years of working alongside such young people at different events I have never before witnessed something that benefitted each individual child no matter how locked into their own worlds.’

You won’t be surprised to hear that we’re doing this again at 11am on Wednesday 27^th June. You are welcome to pop in and quietly see. But you can get involved too.

At 2pm there will be a free concert for the over 70s to which we particularly want to invite people with Alzheimer’s and their carers – music can have real therapeutic benefit to sufferers of dementia.

And in the evening at 7.30pm we need to pack the abbey for a Gala concert and a glass of champagne. For £10 you can hear an outstanding classical music concert including Vivaldi’s Gloria and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nacht Musik (full programme below) and the money raised will support the day’s work and raise funds for the charity. Tickets available from the Abbey Bookshop.

Mozart             Ave verum                                                    

Bach               Schlummert ein (from Cantata 82)               

Handel            Your charms to ruin led (from Samson)         

Mozart             Eine keine nacht musik                                   

Pergolesi        Sei tu m’ami                                                    

Pergolesi        Stabat mater (1^st Movement)                         

Scott Joplin     2 Rags                                                            

Mozart             Soave il vento (from Cosi fan tutte)                                                  

Grainger          Brigg Fair                                                        

Respighi          Il Tramonto                                                    

Vivaldi             Gloria