The touring season may have been halted by the COVID-19 pandemic but the music carries on for opera singer Nicola Mills.
Nicola is one of the team of professional musicians working with Lost Chord. As the pandemic tightened its grip, we were forced to put our busy weekly schedule of concerts on hold indefinitely. But the singing and playing has continued via free YouTube, Twitter and Facebook sessions.
Nicola has also been performing a series of outdoor events, singing outside homes, at a safe social distance from residents and staff. It’s nothing new to the operatic soprano who actually prefers the outdoors to the many opera house stages where she has performed during her career. She has sung on the streets of London and many other European cities as well as enjoying a regular outdoor spot in New York’s Centra Park with her own singing project, Opera for the People
“I’ve worked with really posh people in really posh places with great orchestra and I have loved it. But I also know how to connect with people just like me, people who live in terraced houses and watch Coronation Street!”
Lost Chord Chief Executive Helena Muller said: “Nicola is a shining example of the great spirit that is keeping our programme going through these extremely difficult times.
She added that the work of Nicola and her fellow musicians continued to be of vital importance, even though the way the music is delivered has been changed so much.
“More than 20 years experience has told Lost Chord that music is one of the few things that can actually reach out to people when all other forms of communication have been lost,” Helena said.
“We look forward to being able to return with our musicians to our homes later this year but in the meantime we really do believe that outdoor sessions can provide a very good alternative.
“Our musicians can play in the garden or under the cover of a gazebo and residents can enjoy the full Lost Chord experience from the comfort of their own rooms.
“We believe this is an excellent way to keep the vital service we provide active until we can resume our usual full service and we would be delighted to hear from any home that would like to arrange a visit.”
Discover more of our musicians and learn just why they choose to perform in our Lost Chord concerts.
