Evelina Hospital School (EHS) educates children and young people who are patients of the Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Musicians from City of London Sinfonia regularly contribute to EHS’s music curriculum in activities and workshops in which young people play musical instruments, compose, and perform music alongside CLS players, and integrate music into storytelling and visual art.
CLS has been working at Evelina Hospital School for over 10 years, supporting young people who are isolated from their peers and away from home. Working in close partnership with Evelina teachers, CLS musicians aim to connect with each pupil at a pace and energy level which is manageable for them. These sessions provide a range of ways to explore and enjoy music while connecting people across the hospital through creative activities.
In small group and one-to-one interactions, CLS musicians carefully adapt to patients’ needs while guiding activities that encourage independent thinking and offer opportunities for confidence building and creative expression.
‘Amazing to hear my song being performed and people taking my vision seriously.’
—EHS student
‘I’m overwhelmed with the SEN [special educational needs] sessions. I have been a SEN teacher for nine years and could not recreate what the musicians were creating [with the pupils]. It was outstanding.’
—Music lead at Evelina Hospital School
‘I felt good. And fun and happy too.’
—EHS student
Here are some recordings of the musical stories and poems EHS students have made with CLS musicians!