Creating music and making friends at new Fife group

Yvonne Gilfillan feels strongly about the music project that is proving the theraputic powers of making music.

As chair of Fife Music Connections at Kirkcaldy’s YMCA, she says that the project brings people together from all backgrounds.

Using music to such a degree that it is helping people in Fife with a range of physical and mental health issues is why the project has just been awarded £10,000 from the Lottery’s Community Fund.

Yvonne said: “We are a project where folk from all over Fife can come together, collaborate with different types of musicians and create music.

“It’s all about socialising, it’s about inclusion. Someone from a rock background might join up with someone from a folk background, and combine their talents and styles together to make something unique.

“You’re part of a family, a collective, and that’s how it feels to people here.

“Sometimes making music can be quite emotional and people bond together through music so people maybe get to know each other more than they might in conventional circumstances.

“The cameraderie here is wonderful. There are people here and this is the only place they come to socialise.

“We’re getting people out of their homes, they’re mixing with others and feeling valued at being accepted by that group, and empowered.

“We are extremely lucky to have Mark Burdett helping to guide and shape the music when needed. He is a massively talented and inspirational force within our project.”

“It’s really important to bring people together from all walks of life whether they’re working or not, or have issues or not, and it’s important for everyone to mix, which is sometimes when you get the most creative and wonderful music.

“There’s no one particular person that comes in through the door, it’s all different people just coming together for the common goal of music.”

For drummer David Leybourne, the theraputic nature of music has undoubtedly had a positive impact on his health and rehabilitation.

He initially joined the precursor course Community Based Adult Learning (CBAL)“It’s been ten years since I’ve been coming here. Everybody has a story of how they got involved in this. There are people who have been in homeless accommodation and come in and it’s given them something to focus on.

“I had a couple of strokes about ten years ago. One of the first things I wanted to find out was; could I play again?

“So I came in, I joined a group, and I couldn’t play. that’s one of the things that I lost. I lost a lot of memories, my sight, lots of things.

“And with just working with people and coming in for ten years, I’ve re-learned how to do it. Now I’m playing in four bands.

“It’s changed my life. Without this place it wouldn’t have happened, I’d still be isolated. My health has come on so much. I couldn’t hold a thought together after I’d taken ill. But there was a lot of patience and a lot of support from the people running the project.

“I’m a fundraiser on the committee, I want this to work. I want people to come in and have the chance that I had.”

And that’s an opportunity that is clearly having a positive impact on those who are part of the project.

For Gary Diamond and Stephanie Robertson, the value is undeniable.

Guitarist Gary had also been part of the CBAL course previously, and came back after falling on hard times.

“I decided to come back after I was made homeless and ended up in a scatter flat. I’ve been unemployed for about 10 years now. The project helped a lot, because I couldn’t speak when I first came here.

“I was so uncomfortable that I couldn’t even get any words out.

“But coming in regularly, I started getting that confidence boost. It’s helped a lot being in a calm and relaxing environment.

“I just come along now to enjoy myself and just encourage other people to take part.”

“I heard about it through word of mouth, says Stephanie, who sings with the group. “I had sung on my own at home and I love it, so the chance to come along and play music and write our own songs was so inticing.

“But then I got here and I was petrified, but our tutor Mark really helped a lot and made me realise I can do this and slowly I came out of my shell.

“Suddenly people go out and make their own bands and play gigs and festivals all from this, it’s amazing.”

Gary adds: “It lets you forget about your mental and physical illnesses. You come here and get all the relief from playing music, all the stress is just released.”

Stephanie, having suffered from stagefright and anxiety in the past, wholeheartedly agrees: “It’s something to look forward to, just three or four hours out of your week, create new music that you maybe haven’t tried before.”

A recent addition to the group is retiree Ray Kelly, a singer and guitarist.

She said: “Since maybe the beginning of the year I’ve written about 10 songs. I’ve come in here and they’ve all just made me so welcome. I’m just having so much fun. I leave here after each session quite elated, because of the company, what we’re doing with original songs, it’s just fantastic.

Richard ‘Liggy’ Ligman has a long connection with the YMCA, having drummed in bands as a teenager back in the 1960s, during a time when it was known for regularly hosting big performers.

He pops in regularly, and is more than impressed with how the project is developing.

“It’s a fantastic scheme,” says Liggy. “I come in here to see what they do. There are no covers, they play all their own songs, it’s amazing what they’re doing.

Fife Music Connections meet on Mondays from 1pm-4pm and Friday 12pm-3pm and can be attended by anyone over 16.