Shropshire college's first online concert for breast cancer charity
A Shropshire college’s BTEC music students have launched their first online concert to raise money for Breast Cancer UK.
The challenge of delivering the online event for the first time via YouTube has been highly praised by Concord College’s head of music Stavros Kokkinos.
For as well as the actual delivery of the concert, students had to plan and deliver the event to staff and the student body by creating social media content and sending informative emails.
“Given the circumstances, students adapted well,” said Mr Kokkinos.
“Students approached friends and asked them to send in their video recordings – it was very challenging.”
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, an in-person concert wasn’t possible this year.
“Usually we would have 30-plus acts wanting to audition. But on this occasion, auditions weren’t possible so all was not plain sailing," said Mr Kokkinos.
“Whilst the YouTube virtual stage can never substitute for the buzz and excitement generated by a live event, it allows music performances, that would have had to be cancelled, to take place.
“With this being the web, it also allowed our students to connect with a new audience from far afield.
"A YouTube charity concert has the potential to be viewed by hundreds – if not thousands – of followers.
“If views translate to donations, it’s beneficial for the students’ fundraising and there’s potential for raising a lot of money for chosen charities.
“Our BTEC musicians have worked as a team to share their virtual concert with the world and through their positive energy they have been able to demonstrate solidarity and resilience through music.”
He added that there was no vaccine for those whose mental and emotional health had been adversely impacted upon and the staging of virtual concerts during the pandemic unlocked hidden emotional reserves.
He said: “In a world bereft of human interaction through social distancing, music has the power to bring people closer together by transcending race, gender and religion and enabling audiences to engage in the communal act of sharing thoughts and feelings.”
The BTEC music students have three more online charity concerts – which contribute to students’ coursework portfolios – in the pipeline for the final term of year.
Form five student Darya Yedamenko, 16, who is from Russia and one of the four main student organisers, said: “It was a good experience in terms of communicating with performers and the virtual audience as well as co-ordinating it all and creating promotions on social media.
“Most of us have never done anything like this, so it was a good opportunity to learn new skills.”
