Raising the roof, lifting the spirits!

Many of us turn to music both to celebrate the good times and to help get us through more challenging times in our lives.

It’s recognised that it can have significant benefits for our mental health – from helping us to feel more connected with others at a concert, to breathing more deeply through singing, and to exercising while listening to music. 

Charlie has been using his gift as a conductor for nearly two decades to support the Trust, at concerts of major classical works and at our annual carol service in London – which is loved by a huge congregation who return year after year to listen and heartily join in the singing!

Increasing confidence, reducing stress

We asked Charlie how music has impacted his own life: “My exposure to conducting over the years has had a significant, positive impact on my confidence, in all walks of life. I work full time in credit and political risk insurance for BPL and my love of conducting and singing provides an important counterbalance to the demands of my job.” 

People’s spirits are lifted and they’ve been able to forget about the stresses of the day.

And its impact on other people? “At the end of my rehearsals with the choir, I sense a tremendous bonding. People’s spirits are lifted and they’ve been able to forget about the stresses of the day. Studies indicate that singing releases beneficial hormones such as endorphins, while suppressing cortisol, our main stress hormone. 

“Music is a highly social enterprise. It forces people out of their shells, gives them a voice (literally!), especially if they are introverts. Music transcends cultural and language barriers – it’s inclusive, non-judgemental and freeing.” 

Raising vital funds

Charlie has been bringing his enthusiasm for music and his expertise to the Trust for over 18 years. We asked him how he first came to be involved:

“I met [Trust founders] Mark and Rachel Waller while at lunch with my in-laws – Rachel is my wife’s godmother. They told me about what had happened to their son Charlie, and I proposed that our choir, Vox Cordis, give a London-based carol service for the Trust. We started in 2005 and the carol service is now a firm fixture, raising a meaningful sum for the Trust year on year, which is wonderful. 

“Since then, I have helped raise the sponsorship for performances of six major choral pieces for the Trust, three of which were in St John’s Smith Square and two in Cadogan Hall. Our first performance was Bach’s St John Passion at Douai Abbey in 2009. 

“We are hugely looking forward to our third appearance at Cadogan Hall on 17 April, where we’ll be performing Handel’s iconic Messiah with Vox Cordis, the Schola Cantorum of Ampleforth College and the Aurum Vocale Instrumental Collective.”

Personal connection

We’re immensely grateful to Charlie for his dedication, so it was important to ask why he supports the Trust. He said: “I think the Trust’s mission to take the stigma out of mental illness is vital. We all need to educate the next generation, so that they can look out for each other, spot the signs, and look after their own mental health. 

"The Trust provides high quality resources for many settings, including schools, universities and the workplace, providing an effective way of reaching people.

The Trust needs as much help as it can get, so that it can reach out to these audiences to hear about the vital work it does.

“A much-missed insurance colleague of mine, Nick Kilhams, suffered from depression for years and his family and friends are resolute in highlighting the importance of mental health in the workplace.

“It was clear to me that the Trust needs as much help as it can get, so that it can reach out to these audiences to hear about the vital work it does.” 

Charlie left the last word to renowned fellow conductor, Claudio Abbado: “Many people learn how to talk, but they don’t learn how to listen. Listening to one another is an important thing in life. And music tells us how to do that.”

Charlie’s top tips for incorporating music, and its mental health benefits, into your life

Join a choir! There are hundreds of choirs across the UK for people of all levels of ability.

Learn an instrument – it doesn’t need to be an expensive one. A ukulele, for instance, can be bought quite cheaply, and some local trusts have instruments for loan.

If you hear about a concert, go to it! Many towns and cities have free lunchtime concerts.

Handel's Messiah at Cadogan Hall

Music doesn’t come much more uplifting than Handel’s great Messiah. There are still some tickets left for our next concert with Charlie and Vox Cordis at Cadogan Hall Handel’s Messiah | Cadogan Hall We hope to see you there!