Skid Row, Los Angeles August 2018 Urban Voices Project, Vijay Gupta, Leeav Sofer, LA Phil Horns
The power of music is a wonderful thing. We have seen this over and over in the past four years of Sarah’s Music but no more so than here in downtown Los Angeles on the infamous Skid Row. Skid Row is synonymous with homelessness and poverty but Street Symphony, the wonderful organisation we are featuring on this programme – Street Symphony – is bringing hope and inspiration to the residents.
Founded by the hugely inspiring Vijay Gupta, Street Symphony fascinated me from the moment I heard about it. Vijay organised an event at the Skid Row Archive and Museum for my team and I to meet some of the people involved – both organisers and participants. I was so happy that my dear friends from the LA Philharmonic horn section offered to come down and play with me, that meant so much.
We had a wonderful afternoon exchanging music with our new friends. The Urban Voices Project, under the direction of Leeav Sofer, sang for us, we horns played for them and then we finished up with a finale of everyone together. I absolutely loved it and will be hopefully visiting again on future trips to LA. Bravo to all involved in this very special project, I admire you all so much!
