Sound Young Minds

Sound Young Minds is our award-winning music-making programme with young people under the care of psychiatric hospitals, including the Maudsley and Bethlem Hospital School (Kent & London), Lavender Walk Adolescent Mental Health Unit (London) and the Darwin Centre for Young People (Cambridge). We work with young people with a range of mental illnesses and provide opportunities for creative exploration and expression during a difficult time in their lives.

Sessions include a lead artist, CLS musician and Fellow from the Royal Academy of Music and allow space for participants to improvise, listen and explore making-music alongside professional musicians as well as each other. There is no right or wrong in these sessions, aiming to build confidence, sense of autonomy and self-esteem of young people, opening out the possibilities of making sounds and collaborating with others to create music.

John Ivens, Head Teacher at Maudsley & Bethlem Hospital School, said: For young people at such a challenging time in their lives, working with City of London Sinfonia brought the joy of shared creation. Joy rising above being a patient at a psychiatric hospital to bring pleasure to others who will never know…

In 2020, CLS won the RPS impact award for Sound Young Minds. 

For a peek behind the scenes, read Gawain Hewitt's blog post about his work with Sound Young Minds or enjoy Jessica Catchpole's article about our In the moment exhibition.