The Glasgow Barons support local groups to build music programmes, like the asylum-seeking Musicians In Exile and The Linties’ golden oldies singalong group. The Glasgow Barons also support local singer-songwriters and rappers to tell Govan’s story. The Barons pay local residents for goods and services, and align closely with the Govan-Partick Footbridge project, NSPCC Together for Childhood and other local partners to maximise and sustain their impact.
Musicians in Exile
See also: Participatory, Creative Learning, Musicianship, Instrumental Specialism, Community, lifelong learning.
Musicians in Exile provides space for refugees and asylum-seekers to relax, play music and regain identities by playing the music of their homelands. Sessions are led by three facilitators who ensure all participants are supported in their music making: Aref Ghorbani from Iran, Calum Ingram from Scotland and Jose Rojas from Chile The Glasgow Barons provide travel expenses, instruments and gig opportunities.
Musicians in Exile rehearse every Tuesday night from 6-9pm.
Billiard Room Sessions
See also: Participatory, Creative Learning, community, audiences.
Billiard Room Sessions started in 2021 to promote up-and-coming artists in Scotland and bring them to Govan. Billiard Room sessions are completely free to attend and happen once a month on Thursday afternoons. Every session is filmed and made available online, providing a platform for the visiting artist and making performances accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Local schools are invited to every session, where they can come listen, learn and enjoy new music in a safe environment.
Orchestral
See also: Community, Participatory, Creative Learning, Audience.
Central Govan was once a thriving cultural hub, including Govan & Linthouse Parish Church, The Pearce Institute, Govan Old and Govan Town Hall. The Glasgow Barons put on orchestral performances to restore affordable concerts to these classic spaces.
The Glasgow Barons also commission and perform new music to create a new story about Govan.
Hip Hop
See also:, Participatory, Creative Learning, Musicianship, Audience, Hip Hop, Rap, EDM, vocal, songwriting.
Glasgow Barons had their first hip-hop classical collaboration in the African Arts Centre in 2018. Ever since they have been working closely with local Scottish rappers to profile and develop this socially conscious art form. The Glasgow Barons collaborate with such artists as Solareye, Empress, CCTV, Sweet Rogue, Freestyle Master, Respek Ba and Johnny Cypher. The Glasgow Barons have commissioned Steg G, station head of Sunny Govan FM Community Radio, to create 4 hip hop albums, The Air in Between, Live Today, Surface Pressure and Demons, and to perform with a live orchestral ensemble in The Barrowlands, Fairfield Club and Drygate Brewery.
The Linties
See also: Participatory, community, lifelong learning, Choir, lifelong learning.
The Linties aims to bring senior citizens together online and face to face every week for a golden oldies singalong, led by Catherine Muir, organist of Govan & Linthouse Parish Church. Since 2020, The Linties combat loneliness by keeping people connected through the joy of singing!