Music transcends boundaries of race, language and nationality

The dynamic Bristol-based Dovetail Orchestra returns to Chagford in May following its hugely popular and spirited performance in the parish church last year. Musicians from around seven different countries will present a joyful blend of music from around the world, performing music as varied as Afghan chant and Bangladeshi beats to Turkish love songs and the dances of Latin America.

The Dovetail Orchestra is totally unique in that all the players are people seeking asylum, many of them having fled trauma and persecution in their homelands. It’s a heartening example of how arts participation fosters a sense of belonging and helps build trust in others through collaborative creation. Many trauma survivors live in a constant state of hypervigilance, and music-making can be incredibly therapeutic, offering a non-verbal outlet through which musicians can ‘say’ things that they might not be able to express in words. Their instruments become a voice when speaking is too painful or complicated.

The concert is organised by Chagford Hospitality Network (CHN), a group which arranges holidays for asylum seekers and refugees on rural Dartmoor, providing a much needed respite from their daily hardships, as well as fun and friendship.

The Dovetail Orchestra

Saturday, 17th May

St Michael’s Church, Chagford, 7.00pm. Doors open at 6pm, bar available. Tickets: £12 | Under 5s free | From Sally’s Newsagent, Chagford.