The day before we met, Lily had been running the summer school - the three-day immersion for the youth chorus who’ll be part of the opera.
Blackheath Halls has been part of this neighbourhood a lot longer than Ginkgo has. When we heard someone local had just taken over the community programme there, we wanted to know more.
Over the summer, I met Lily Rice, who has been Head of Community Programmes at Blackheath Halls since May, in the bar – quiet and post-summer school, the building empty after three days of children filling it. She grew up five minutes away in Lewisham. Her first classical concert was here at the Halls.
She’d been in the job four months. I asked what had drawn her to it.
“The idea of heading up the community programmes locally in South East London – it was just too big an opportunity not to go for. And I was really attracted to what the work that has been built here is. My predecessor has built this incredibly interesting programme. It ranges from large-scale productions like the opera to schools’ projects and the community orchestra. Really embedded in the local community, but with so much scope to keep going further.”
Debra Blundell, co-founder of Ginkgo, nominated Lily:
“I met Lily recently at the patrons’ summer drinks and you just knew she’d landed her dream job. Full of ideas, local, passionate about what Blackheath Halls can be. I think she’s going to do brilliant things there.”
Six people, a very large programme
Lily had come from Guildhall, a much larger organisation. She told me the first thing that surprised her at the Halls was how small the team was.
“We’re a little, very hardworking, community-focused team. That’s what struck me - how small the team is for the amount of work they produce.”
The second thing that surprised her was who was waiting for them.
“I knew this was a very locally loved institution. But it’s been really interesting meeting community participants, donors, people who sponsor events for us. Everyone just has so much love for this place. People who don’t even work here are really keen to know who I am and what I’m doing here.”
Professional singers who want to be there
By the time you read this, The Halls will be in the middle of its production of Carmen - a full community opera production with professional directors, professional singers, the community chorus, the youth chorus, and Charlton Park School all sharing the same stage. I asked Lily what it means to put those people together.
“Professional opera singers who have sung in fantastic opera houses and festivals all over the UK and the world, sharing the stage with our wonderful community chorus. You can be the absolute top of your game, or you can be someone who’s worked really hard throughout their rehearsals. You combine and create something really special.”
She’d taken two of the Carmen principals into local primary schools earlier in the summer for taster sessions. Children who’d never heard opera, hearing what a human voice can do without a microphone.
“To hear from the singers themselves that this is a project they’re really keen to be part of - I think that speaks to the power of community work.”
The little girl
The day before we met, Lily had been running the summer school - the three-day immersion for the youth chorus who’ll be part of the opera. Several of them were new this year. One girl had come from a taster session and she had never done any of this before.
“A director told her: you’re going to be really silly now and you’ve got to take the mickey out of these people. And she just - I was almost crying with laughter - she really went for it and is turning out to be a brilliant actor.
“And then hearing from the parents at the end of the day that their children can’t stop talking about how much fun they’ve had. Seeing children who maybe when they’re on lunch breaks are a bit quieter, completely come alive on stage. And knowing they’re going to get to do five performances, professionally staged. That’s definitely why I do it.”
The day-to-day bears little resemblance to the title. Head of Community Programmes, Lily said, is a fantastically lofty thing to have on a business card.
“But my day to day can just be so different. It can be writing a funding application, meeting with donors. And then someone needs to put the chairs out, or it’s all hands on deck in the bar. I think that surprises people. But I think it’s great. It keeps life interesting.”
Before I left I asked who her local treasure was. She said she’d have to say Rose Ballantyne, her predecessor, who built the community programme at Blackheath Halls over 20 years and is still in the building, co-producing Carmen, before she moves on.
“She’s been incredibly welcoming and very generous, considering this is her baby - all of it. She’s built these programmes over 20 years. It must be hard to hand it over to someone new. But we’ve had such a fantastic few months getting to know each other and working together. I’ve actually joked with her that of all the people she’s worked with over the years, I might be the most sad when she goes.”
Rose leaves in January. Lily is already planning next year’s opera and pushing the schools work further than it’s gone before.
“I’d like more of our projects that run in schools to end here at the Halls. So that even if we’re going to them for the duration of the project, they get to come here. Be on the stage. Be professionally lit and professionally mic’d up.”
She’s particularly keen on secondary schools – the age at which interest in music tends to drop off. She went to secondary school in Lewisham herself, ran for Young Mayor of Lewisham, and knows the school landscape across both boroughs. Her parents were both teachers in Greenwich.
“I’d love us to reach a bit further out into the boroughs - further into south Lewisham, across the other side of Greenwich. Those are the areas where we could make some difference. Not just right on our doorstep.”
“If you play an instrument, or haven’t sung since primary school assembly but would be interested, just pop into the box office. There’s usually a few of us knocking about the office. We have a gospel project running in the autumn, a community orchestra, schools projects. Come in and tell us what you’d like to see here. That input from local people is really valuable to us.”
Blackheath Halls is at 23 Lee Road, SE3 9RQ. Everything that’s on is at blackheathhalls.com.
Kelly Powell, marketing manager (local)
