The Todes family recently shot to fame by performing classical music in front of their home on Alexander Street in Bayswater to appreciative neighbours, before their performance was politely stopped by police to prevent gathering crowds not adhering to social distancing rules. The performance was followed by an apology from the family to police and bursts of applause from gathering neighbours for the musicians, all of which was captured on video.
Since then the family of four, who have dubbed themselves the ‘Alexander Street Quartet’, have put their media attention to good use by live streaming their concerts to help raise funds for the North London based charitable hospice, St John’s Hospice. They are now set to perform a special edition of their live stream concerts to commemorate VE Day live from the garden of St John’s Hospice at 12:00pm on VE Day Friday 8th April.
Rafael Todes, Alexander Street Quartet said, “I’m delighted to be able to take our pop-up street concert to the very place in which we are intending any money raised to go to. It also has special significance for me and the family as we are very grateful to St John’s Hospice for the excellent care received by my late father, so it seems a fitting place for us to perform one of our livestream concerts.”
The performance will take place in the 2016 award winning Chelsea Flower Show garden located at the hospice to allow hospice inpatients to be able to enjoy the live music from a safe distance and hear the music coming in from the garden through open doors and windows. Members of the public will also be able to safely tune in and watch the performance remotely from their own homes as the concert will be live streamed live via video link on the St John’s Hospice Facebook page.
During the concert the quartet will play a range of classical pieces from renowned composers such as Mozart, in addition to a special VE Day commemorative performance of the Vera Lynn war time classic We’ll Meet Again.
Sue Hutton, Assistant Director of Nursing, St John’s Hospice said: “We are very appreciative of the Todes family for their kindness in raising money for our COVID-19 emergency fund, this will be invaluable in helping ensure our specialist teams can be more agile and enable them to better reach and provide for patients that are now increasingly isolated and vulnerable at home during the pandemic. I’m sure the beautiful music will also be very much appreciated by the patients we have staying with us and our supporters and patients online, hopefully helping to lift all of our spirits.”
St John’s Hospice, like many other charities, have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to their regular fundraising activities needing to be cancelled or postponed and their two charity shops having to temporarily close their doors. This means that now, more than ever, they are reliant on the donations, fundraising and goodwill of supporters such as that shown by the Todes family to enable them to provide essential palliative care services to the local community and the 4,000 terminally-ill patients and their families the hospice support every year.
Find out more information about the live stream on the St John’s Hospice Facebook page or on their event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/280806696275788/
