REMEMBER, remember the Fifth of November? Well, I’ve no doubts that tomorrow evening’s annual Specsavers Scottish Music Awards 2022 (SMAs), will be an unforgettable and truly memorable event.
The SMAs event – which returns for a second successive year to the Barrowland Ballroom – is Scotland’s premier music award ceremony, a glittering occasion which celebrates and honours industry figures, musicians, songwriters and acts who contribute to our nation's rich and vibrant musical heritage, and in doing so raises desperately needed funds for Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy, an inspiring charity which uses the power of music to build confidence and self-esteem in people who have life-limiting illness, profound disabilities and those who live in significant isolation. It has been a large part of my life for well over a quarter of a century.
This year’s awards is another rocking roll of honour. A star-studded line-up, introduced by award-winning broadcaster and presenter Edith Bowman, includes The View, Altered Images, Dylan John Thomas, Tamzene, Lewis Capaldi, Peat and Diesel, Gun, Wet Leg, Craig Logan, Rianne Downey, Johnny Mac and The Faithful, and Scotland’s rock royalty, Sir Rod Stewart.
What an incredible journey it has been for the SMAs, especially when you consider that the very first awards ceremony, known then as The Tartan Clefs, which honoured Lulu and The Simple Minds, was held in the gloomy edifice of Glasgow City Council Chambers and didn’t feature any live music at all.
Over the years, from that day to this, the awards have steadily grown in stature and prominence, enlisting and uniting a greater part of the whole Scottish music industry in the support of Nordoff Robbins.
Last year’s awards, which featured Amy McDonald, The Snuts, Nina Nesbitt, Bow Anderson, Nathan Evans, Biffy Clyro, Brooke Coombe and Wet Wet Wet, raised more than £180,000, a fantastic sum of money, which was used to help fund 15 music therapists reaching out to 270 children and adults, in children's hospices, dementia care homes, mental health hospitals and SEN schools throughout Scotland. Across the UK, Nordoff Robbins now employs 101 music therapists who work with more than 9,000 people delivering over 33,000 music therapy sessions within 280 organisations.
Sadly, despite the incredible yearon-year generosity the charity receives in donations from the public, Nordoff Robbins has not been immune to the financial ravages of the pandemic and current cost of living crisis, which has wreaked havoc across the third sector, and unlike commercial organisations, charities cannot pass these costs on; they rely on increased donations or reserves if they have them.
As Sandra Schembri, Nordoff Robbins CEO, worryingly points out, “the storm clouds continue to rage for our clients and the world of Nordoff Robbins. The pandemic hit us very hard, and we lost all of our income overnight. Then just as we were getting back on our feet, along came the cost of living crisis which has made reaching our clients across Scotland, and the rest of the UK, a real challenge. In spite of these challenges, we are fully committed to making sure we are there for our clients and have dipped into our reserves in order that we can honour this commitment. We passionately believe in using the power of music to help people from all walks of life connect and communicate, and we are incredibly grateful to the Scottish music industry for its continued support through the annual Scottish Music Awards."
Making music together, using its power through skilled music therapists to recognise the potential in everyone, regardless of illness, disability, trauma and social isolation, is at the very heart of Nordoff Robbins, and it will be music to my ears if this year’s SMAs can raise as much, if not more money than last year.
Remember, every note counts.
Donald MacLeod is Chairman of Events, Nordoff Robbins Scotland
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