With so much going on in the world today – in so many ways – it’s natural to feel a sense of melancholy, or mourning. And yet, the experiences we are having are also encouraging us to reflect, to share and learn from each other, and to communicate in different ways.

The poignancy of these times and the ability of this piece to capture this zeitgeist led to the making of this new arrangement of “Prayer”, by Ernest Bloch. A composer that was so admired in his day, many considered him to be the fourth ‘B’ after Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.

Through their deep love of classical music, Maker&Son Founder Alex Willcock and acclaimed violinist Nicola Benedetti began exploring ways of working together. Most importantly, they both want to find ways to share the emotion and the experience that very special music can offer both the performers and the listeners. Some music has a very unique and extraordinary way of elevating an experience, offering complete immersion and connection with the moment, and this is the gift they hope to share, by working in partnership.

From uniting those who believe music is integral to great learning, to inspiring through best practices, the Benedetti Foundation is showcasing music education at its very best. By advocating (loudly and with great spirit) for the place of quality arts and culture in our schools and our home, the foundation – through it’s tutors, teams, trustees and the enormous following it has engendered – is transforming the meaning of music for everyone involved.

Maker&Son are such great believers in what the Benedetti Foundation are doing, and the way that they are doing it. The honesty, the humanity and the integrity that drives each and every workshop is a true privilege with which to be associated. We encourage you to learn more and to give generously to the Benedetti Foundation in gratitude of all they are doing to elevate music education for all ages.

Composer Ernest Bloch combined his globetrotting musical life with a profound spiritual yearning. Born in Geneva in 1880, he studied in Brussels and moved to the US in 1916, eventually settling in Portland, Oregon, where he died in 1959. Though famous in his lifetime for large-scale works like the opera Macbeth (1910), Bloch is lesser known these days yet some of his rhapsodic song-like compositions – notably Schelomo for cello and orchestra (1916) – are still part of the concert repertoire today. Despite being influenced by some of the leading composers of his time – including Mahler, Debussy and his teacher, violinist Eugène Ysaye – his music was essentially a late flowering of Romanticism.

Bloch strongly identified with his Jewish faith and wrote several works directly inspired by Jewish liturgy and folklore, among them Schelomo for cello and orchestra (1916), Israel for orchestra (1916), and Baal Shem for violin and orchestra (1939).. ‘I aspire to write Jewish music – not for the sake of self-advertisement, but because I am sure that this is the only way in which I can produce music of vitality and significance’, he suggested.

Whilst a musical performance is undoubtedly where the magic happens for the audience, there is just so much that goes into the making of a memorable event. We were so fortunate to host this very talented group of musicians at Kemps House. From arranging the furniture to gathering firewood, lighting candles, and making (yes making!) music stands, the anticipation of spending an afternoon/evening together was only surmounted by the reality of the laughter and connection of good friends making music together.

Like many things in life, making things with people that you love and respect personally, just makes it more enjoyable. The musicians involved in bringing this piece of music to life here include dear friends and colleagues of Nicola, including the Ayoub sisters – who arranged the piece – Yume Fujise on 1st violin, Charlie Westhoff on 2nd violin, Jenny Lewisohn on viola and Ariane Zandi on cello.

Demonstrating an innate musical talent from a young age, Alex received a scholarship to study classical music at Eton College – just a few years after picking up the violin. He has brought his appreciation of music, both classical and classic, to everything he believes in.

When Alex founded Maker&Son with Felix, together they made a simple decision – to do what they loved, in the way they loved doing it, with the people that they loved. For some the relationship between music and business that sells sofas isn’t immediately evident, but for those that know Alex and his deep love of music, the two sit in perfect harmony.