Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Tessa Marchington of Music In Offices Is Helping To Change Our World
At a time when there are generational divides and rising disconnection, music brings people together.
As a part of our series about social impact heroes, we had the pleasure of interviewing Tessa Marchington, Music In Offices.
Tessa Marchington is a Royal Academy of Music trained pianist and the founder of Music in Offices, the pioneering organisation she launched in 2007 to bring joy, connection and creativity into corporate life. Her work has transformed workplaces, partnering with FTSE100 companies, law firms, banks and government departments to boost wellbeing, resilience and collaboration through music. Tessa continues to champion the vital role of the arts in society.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Throughout my childhood there was a lot of music in my home and I started learning the piano with my Mum from a very young age. I loved learning about music in different cultures too, and went on to study English and Music at University, choosing to learn about African Literature and African Music. I was very inspired by the role of music in Malawi, Mali and Senegal. I loved how it is part of everyday life there, as a way to communicate and to share joy with friends and family. This really inspired the idea for my business, Music in Offices. My career path has not been linear at all. Having never worked for another organization full time, I have always been building my business and branching out as a consultant on projects whilst teaching and performing the piano, alongside growing the client base and reach of Music in Offices.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
It was pretty special playing piano duets with Alan Rusbridger, the Editor of The Guardian newspaper, on a few occasions. I then had Alan accompany Journalist and Broadcaster, Jon Snow, who sang ‘I am a Gnu’ at one of our Office Choir of the Year events. Jon also joined-in with our choir at Channel 4 TV. I loved teaching Ruthie Rogers for a short time and felt quite awestruck knowing that Richard Rogers was working in his office upstairs. I always wondered what buildings he was designing at the time. Once I invited Guy Pratt, the bass guitarist of Pink Floyd, to perform some of his show ‘My Bass and Other Animals’. He got on with Jon Snow incredibly well.
Working with the board at Lloyds Bank was a fascinating experience from which I learned a great deal. We ended up having 150 of their Senior Leadership Team doing samba drumming, complete with earplugs, and learning through play about inclusive leadership, ensemble mentality and ‘owning their rhythm’ while playing to one pulse.
Seeing the City of London through the eyes and ears of women while researching for our City of Women March and Performance for International Women’s Day was one of the most interesting projects we have ever created. We wove words from historical women into the music and paired them with current women in the City who are breaking barriers. We then sang relevant songs while marching through the City and closed the markets at the London Stock Exchange.
Working with the Lord Mayor and City dignitaries over the years, producing festivals and cultural partnerships, has also been fascinating — historical reenactment that still serves a real purpose today.
One of the more surreal moments was discovering that the Government offices for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport did not have a piano, so I lent them a digital piano. It went into Ed Vaizey’s office, who was Minister of State at the time. I started teaching him the piano. I hope it was used for after-work singalongs by others too.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson did you learn from that?
There was a lot of business jargon that I was unfamiliar with at the start of my career. When people were talking about the FTSE100, I thought they were talking about football! I actually asked which football team they supported during a regulatory meeting, which confused everyone in the boardroom. I certainly learnt to laugh about it! I have found that always seeing the funny side of things can get you through a lot.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
Music in Offices creates moments in the week where people can come together and share the joy of music-making with colleagues and friends. Individually, people’s lives are transformed through finding a sense of purpose and belonging, reconnecting with a side of themselves that is often buried. This can lead to new confidence, new identity, improved mental health and a sense of achievement. People can step away from their desk, form new relationships and friendships, and learn a new skill. As adults, we often forget to make time for these things. At a time when there are generational divides and rising disconnection, music brings people together.
We also support young emerging professional musicians who teach and conduct for us in various workplaces. This provides vital income streams. For many, this work is the only reason they are able to stay in London and perform professionally. Importantly, our work creates reciprocity between businesses and the arts. It builds a bridge of understanding and offers a lens through which to see a different side of the world, while promoting a kinder and more inclusive society.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by your work?
There was a man called Tom who worked in the post room at Christie’s Auction House. He said that since joining their choir, he finally felt like he had a role. He was the bass in the choir therefore he was needed and valued. He told me that for years no one at work had known his name. Day-after-day his colleagues would send parcels in his direction but no one ever addressed him personally but now they did. One day he pulled me aside and shared that his friends and family had noticed how much happier he was. Joining his workplace choir gave him a new sense of identity.
Even after eighteen years, I am filled with joy when someone shares a story about how our music activities at work have improved their life. We have had choir members who had spent their careers in IT go-on to change professions and move into music production. Others who had never sung in a choir now sing in four or five a week.
Are there three things the community, society or politicians can do to help address the root problem you are trying to solve?
- Increase funding for artists with an open brief. Too often funding applications carry too many agendas, which limits the creativity and potential of the applicant.
- All businesses should have a paid Artist on the Board to challenge thinking and provide rigor. Every business would benefit greatly from the ideas and solutions that artists offer. We have a model that works.
- Every Borough or village should have an inclusive community choir. Joining should be prescribed by the NHS as a way to improve mental health. This is already being piloted, but politicians could accelerate awareness of social prescribing with a national campaign to integrate the arts into healthcare and into society.
How do you define Leadership? Can you give an example?
Leadership means inspiring those around you to be kinder, to work more inclusively and to listen to the needs of society and of the people. A good leader steps into the spaces their team is unsure of entering and empowers them to follow and eventually lead themselves. A good example of a leader who has inspired me is Dame Stephanie Shirley, a woman who stepped into the unknown and created a company that empowered women at home to learn new skills, become independent and pioneer extraordinary technology. Another example is Dame Kathryn McDowell, who has led the London Symphony Orchestra as Managing Director for twenty years with remarkable clarity of thought and an impressive ability to navigate challenges with nuance, democracy and kindness.
What are your five things I wish someone told me when I first started, and why?
- Keep records. I wish I had kept note of concerts, repertoire, programs and recordings — all the happenings. Life moves quickly and a great deal can happen in twenty years. I wish I had written more down.
- Take the time to do a financial literacy course to understand at least the basics of investing and budgeting. If I had done this earlier, I would have achieved financial stability sooner.
- Write down your ideas in one place. This is another form of archiving and administration. I really wish I had created better systems around my ideas.
- Creating events is only half of running your own business. Do not be afraid to tell people about what you are doing. Entrepreneurs often get so caught up creating the next event and connecting with people and so the marketing becomes secondary. I never made it a priority. I could have reached a far wider audience earlier if I had invested a little in Marketing and Public Relations.
- Your network has real value, so do not give it away without thought. I used to spend a great deal of time meeting people who wanted to know where to find funding, how to grow their audience or which company might support their orchestra or opera organisation. I receive countless emails each week asking for contacts. It took me a long time to understand that this knowledge carried real value.
Can you give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote and explain how it is relevant to your life?
I like two of Maya Angelou’s quotes. The first is, ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better’. It inspires continuous learning. I have recently stepped into politics as a Common Councillor in the City of London and I am on another learning curve. I feel privileged to be in a position to help the City do better in supporting artists, musicians and creatives who are needed now more than ever. The second is, ‘Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances’. I see transformation in people and in places when they are dancing.
Is there a person in the world with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?
Apart from my husband Joc, with whom I hope to always share breakfast, I would love to meet Richard Branson. It might sound predictable, but I would love to ask him for strategic business advice. I think that if he discovered Music in Offices he would find brilliantly imaginative ways to supercharge how we humanise and harmonise corporate culture.
If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would it be?
It would be a movement where all artists, musicians, poets, writers and thinkers become the most valued and well-resourced members of society. The streets would be filled with live music, there would be a national holiday on Make Music Day (21st June) and the arts would be integrated into all areas of business, policy and community life. Musicians, both emerging and established, would be able to thrive and live well, contributing their skills and spreading joy into the world.
How can our readers follow your work online?
They can follow me, Tessa Marchington, on LinkedIn or follow our work at Music in Offices by joining our mailing list on our website, www.musicinoffices.com.
Thank you. We wish you all the best.
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Tessa Marchington of Music In Offices Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.