LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE SING OUT FOR EQUALITY

Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre and London Gay Men’s Chorus (LGMC) join forces with the Sing Out project to write and release a song calling for equality in education.

‘Teacher, Teacher’ by Sing Out with Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre and London Gay Men’s Chorus is available to download from Bandcamp.com. Proceeds go to Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre to continue their vital work after funding was cut earlier this year.

Musician Steven Smith led the Sing Out project with Mosaic and LGMC, exploring issues faced in the LGBT community and giving them the skills to write an original song with a strong message. Although laws continue to change for the better, these LGBT young people feel that they do not get the right information regarding sexual orientation and gender identity and call for it to be included in the curriculum.

With a third of LGBT young people feeling ignored or isolated in education (Stonewall 2015), the song’s call to teach equality rings true. Teacher, Teacher questions education and can be used as a tool to teach about LGBT issues in itself.

Manager of Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre, Lukasz Konieczka commented,

“We are so glad that our members had an opportunity to take part in the Sing Out project and to express their frustrations with the slow progression of equality in formal education settings. This is precisely why organisations like Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre are still very relevant as they offer support, education and inspiration to often overlooked LGBT+ young people. We are presently exploring the opportunity of forming an LGBT youth choir as a result of this project and the great feedback it received."

The LGMC have already seen the power of music in action this year when they released a charity single of Bridge Over Troubled Water on the 24th June 2016, raising funds for the Pulse Victims Fund via Equality Florida and Galop UK. They now hope Teacher, Teacher’s message for equality reaches just as far. They support plans for Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre to establish an LGBT youth chorus after the success of this project.

Speaking about the future of Sing Out, Project Leader Steven Smith commented,

“Working with the young people and youth work team at Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre, with support from the LGMC, has been amazing. Watching young people who were too shy complete a vocal warm up at the start of the project, stand up to a room full of family and friends and perform a song they had helped write, was really inspiring. I now hope to work with other LGBT groups across the country. I know there are many more stories to share and LGBT voices to be heard, and music is the perfect vessel for this.”

Teacher, Teacher was written by members of Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre and London Gay Men’s Chorus with support from the Sing Out project. It was arranged by Steven Smith and recorded at The Roundhouse in London. The Sing Out project was made possible through funding from youth music charity Sound Connections.

-ENDS-

NOTES TO EDITORS

SHORT DOCUMENTARY AND PERFORMANCE FOOTAGE of the Sing Out project: https://youtu.be/NiLl3O0c1yo

Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre – www.mosaicyouth.org.uk

Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre was founded in 2000 and has since worked with over 7500 young people through its youth clubs, mentoring, and school education work. They have trained several hundred professionals through CPD programmes. Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre has been the founding organisation of a number of ground breaking programmes like Mosaic LGBT Youth Summer Camp that takes place every year as well as Pride Prom – the UK’s only LGBT youth prom event for under 18’s.

London Gay Men’s Chorus – www.lgmc.org.uk

Formed in 1991 by nine gay men coming together to sing at Angel Tube Station, the LGMC has grown to become Europe’s largest male voice choir with over 200 singing members. The LGMC regularly performs at concert halls around London as well as conducting education workshops in schools to combat homophobia. During 2016, the London Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its 25th year.

Steven Smith, Sing Out Project Leader – www.musicbystevensmith.com

Classically trained musician Steven Smith is a composer, singer-songwriter and music educator. His music has been championed by Tom Robinson on his BBC Radio 6 Music show. Steven uses music to explore complex issues in many different settings from youth groups and schools, to care homes and prisons. He is also a youth and charity worker and is passionate about LGBT issues, equality and mental health.

Sing Out project – www.singoutproject.org.uk

FOR MEDIA REQUESTS, CONTACT STEVEN SMITH, SING OUT PROJECT LEADER: steven@singoutproject.org.uk / 07775 954 056