British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT), The Hollywood Film Chorale, The Pinewood Singers, Ten Two Six Music Group and West End musical performers form a 90 strong transatlantic virtual choir to record an original song to raise much needed funds for theatre workers in the UK and the US
‘IMAGINE A WORLD THAT DIDN’T SING’ IS A LOVE LETTER TO MUSICAL THEATRE. A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE SONG WILL BE AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON ALL MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FROM TODAY (8/9/2020) WITH DONATION LINKS TO THEATRE ARTISTS FUND, MUSICARES AND THE BYMT ACCESS TO THE ARTS CAMPAIGN.
TO HEAR THE SONG ON YOUTUBE CLICK HERE
The song was written by award winning LA based composer Alexander Rudd and UK based writer/lyricist John Nicholson. What started out as a small project to encourage and support a group of BYMT members during lockdown grew exponentially
John Nicholson said;
“When we put the call out to professional singers to collaborate, the response to both the appeal and to the song was overwhelming and humbling. The 15 BYMT members have ended up singing alongside Grammy award winners and some of the highest profile movie recording artists in the industry.”
Jon Bromwich, Executive Producer of BYMT (of which Ed Sheeran is both a Patron and alumnus) said;
“As well as helping amplify the message about the cliff edge still facing theatre workers here and, in the US, this was a fantastic opportunity for BYMT members.
We also very much hope it will help raise funds for our Access To The Arts Campaign – designed to help ensure that financial hardship should not be an obstacle for young people of all backgrounds one day joining the next generation of musical theatre performers.”
Many of the professional singers who have contributed to this recording are recording artists in their own right. Between them, singing credits include numerous Disney films (Frozen), numerous Hollywood blockbusters (La La Land), songs and albums with Billy Eilish, Pharrell Williams, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow and Allison Krauss (to name but a few)
The song is taken from a musical, recently penned by Nicholson and Rudd for BYMT which Luke Sheppard (& Juliet) directed in 2018. It wittily references many of the long running musicals that have been put on hold since March and asks a simple rhetorical question – imagine a world that didn’t sing. The song has been endorsed by Lord Lloyd Webber
Charity information and links –
The Theatre Artists Fund has been set up to provide emergency support for theatre workers and freelancers across the UK. It is for theatre professionals who are in need of urgent and critical financial support due to the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the theatre sector. The Fund was initially made possible by a generous donation from Netflix and is now also supported by Arts Council England and generous private donors. Funding link here: The Theatre Artists Fund
BYMT is a charity; an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and a National Youth Music Organisation, that maintains a pipeline of talent for the industry and improves access for underrepresented groups – working in areas of social and economic deprivation, offering free/subsidised audition places and bursaries to enable young people from low income households to take part in BYMT theatre productions and summer camps. Funding link here: BYMT
MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community. Funding link here: MusiCares
Donations to the charities linked with this song can be made below the YouTube video which can be found by typing Imagine A World That Didn’t Sing. The twitter and Instagram account is @imagineaworld20 (or use the hashtag #imagineaworldsong)