A group of world-class musicians are set to bring their formidable talents to a one-off children’s musical charity event in East Sheen this weekend.
Grammy award-winning guitarist John Williams, who is noted for his ‘technically flawless’ performances, will play alongside a host of other talents to help raise funds for the Music Alters Everything Foundation.
The MAE Foundation works to provide musical instruments and music teaching to thousands of children in refugee camps along the Thai border with Burma.
With the help of volunteer music teachers children are given lessons and are provided with ‘easy to play’ guitars and ukuleles, small flutes and percussion instruments like xylophones.
MAE bring more than just music to the camps, children have the chance to get together in bands to develop new musical skills and play songs from their own cultures.
The humanitarian charity is said to have been formed by a group of musicians who believe that music can help alleviate the plight of the border refugees.
The Australian guitar virtuoso is no stranger to the cause, having taken part in various fundraising initiatives for the charity since 2011.
Williams, who is a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, has toured the world playing both solo and with orchestra and on radio and TV, as well as recording for Sony Classical.
Young guitar duo Tom Ellis and Laura Snowden will join Williams, alongside his long-term collaboration partner Bafta-winning TV and film composer Richard Harvey, who worked on The Da Vinci Code soundtrack.
Since 2010, the charity, founded and supported by British-based composers and musicians, has reportedly delivered nearly 2,000 instruments and songbooks to children in the Mae La camp.
John Williams will be at Christ Church, East Sheen on October 4, at 7.30pm.
For more information, and to buy tickets, click here.
Picture courtesy of Kathy Panama, with thanks
