Ida Girls London release fundraising single

Classical crossover group Ida Girls London have released their Les Misérables medley ‘Stars’ in support of the charity Help Musicians.

First created and performed for a fundraising concert at Leicester Haymarket, the medley has been recorded by each of the singers (Georgi Mottram, Wendy Carr, Jasmine Faulkner and Sarah Vaughan) during lockdown in their own homes in Aberdeenshire, Jersey and London.

With musical arrangement by Carr, the accompanying video intersperses performances by Ida with photographs (provided by the Theatres Trust) of much-loved theatres and concert halls where musicians would normally be performing.

Unveiling the video, Jersey-born soprano Mottram said: “Everyone is feeling the impact of Coronavirus in some way, including musicians. Communities all over the UK have come together to raise money for the NHS and charities. Their generosity is humbling and it inspired us to give something back.

“With our live performances postponed for the foreseeable future, including shows at Kings Theatre Portsmouth, Aynhoe Park, Buckingham Palace and further afield in Japan and Australia, we felt moved to use our voices for good. We hope that by releasing ‘Stars’ in aid of Help Musicians we can not only lift spirits but also raise funds for the charity’s invaluable work.”

All proceeds from downloads of the single on iTunes will go to Help Musicians, the independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres and at all stages in their careers.

Angela Thomas