On Thursday 5 October, we held a special event to launch our Autumn Season at West London Synagogue. The venue was all dressed up for Sukkot with its beautiful and colourful sukkah, complete with water fountains and hanging fruit, and this Jewish holiday tradition certainly set the scene for our Modern Mystics Season Launch. Here’s how the evening unfolded…
Our famous comfy cushions, used in our seriously informal concert series, took pride of place in our reception.
Our guests and team gathered under the Synagogue’s stunning structure for drinks, nibbles and chats.
John Singer, our chairman, started off proceedings in the Sanctuary by introducing the premiere of our new short film (produced by Media Trust), which is now live on YouTube.
Chief Executive Matthew Swann hosted an inspiring panel discussion with Alexandra Wood (Creative Director and Leader), Jessica Cottis (Conductor, The Book of Hours), Fiona Lambert (Director of Participation) and Claire Henry (Animateur in Residence) about our Autumn Season. Topics included our Modern Mystics trilogy (starting on 9 November) and our Autumn Participation projects, including our Lullaby Concerts with Orchestras Live and our new three-year collaboration with Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital.
And our panel discussion has begun! Our artists & team discuss our Autumn Season at our #ModernMystics Season Launch pic.twitter.com/XNutHeUBM2
— CityofLondonSinfonia (@CityLdnSinfonia) October 5, 2017
Great season launch from @CityLdnSinfonia including #modernmystics. Inspiring line of the night “the beauty lies in the silence”.
— ABO (@aborchestras) October 5, 2017
Our string quartet exemplified the Synagogue’s incredible acoustics with a performance of Summa by Arvo Pärt, featured in the first concert of our Modern Mystics series – The Fruit of Silence at Southwark Cathedral.
The performance ended in that beautiful silence our panel had spoken so eloquently about, before we headed back to the reception for more delightful conversation.
What a way to launch our Autumn Season!
Tweets about the night
Thanks @SwannMatthew for inviting me to the @CityLdnSinfonia Modern Mystics launch yesterday, at the stunning West London Synagogue. The season sounds wonderful! And also very impressed by all the work you do in schools, hospitals and soon with Bethlam and Maudsley Hospital.
— Becky Burchell (@BeckyBurchell) October 6, 2017
Hearing about #ModernMystics season @CityLdnSinfonia – great to see new Director of Participation, Fiona Lambert, on the panel. pic.twitter.com/rjZ4f895OL
— Philip Flood (@Philip_Flood) October 5, 2017
Great to hear about @CityLdnSinfonia #modernmystics season & their fabulous education programme tonight. pic.twitter.com/VJrlUS4BFi
— Mark Sutherland (@markesutherland) October 5, 2017
Super to go to the launch of @CityLdnSinfonia Modern Mystic’s and hear all about their wonderful, inclusive and imaginative work. Thank you pic.twitter.com/UkgT3lw6G5
— Ellie Moore (@elliealice) October 5, 2017
Great to be at @CityLdnSinfonia #ModernMystics launch-can’t wait for the @SaffronHallSW gig! Lovely to see @Philip_Flood @mattgriff1968 too pic.twitter.com/wCsJVNuONR
— Natalie Ellis (@SayHelloToNat) October 5, 2017
Find out more about our Modern Mystics series: The Fruit of Silence (9 November, Southwark Cathedral), The Book of Hours (22 November, Village Underground), The Protecting Veil (2 December, St John’s Smith Square).
Learn more about our Participation programme: Growth through Music (Lullaby Concerts), Wellbeing through Music (L’Chaim, Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital).
