The David Idowu Choir: Driving out darkness with light

"It has been almost five years since 14-year-old David Idowu lost his life to hate crime. The boy who carried out this fatal stabbing had never met David; the mere fact that David attended a certain school was enough to make him a target in this senseless crime. David had been an active campaigner against knife and gun crime. Now, as a way of coping with the darkness of his death, his family and community are fighting hate with love. The David Idowu Foundation was set up by David’s parents and works to eradicate school rivalries, educate about the effects of hate crime, and help young offenders put their lives back on track. One of the Foundation’s recent projects is the David Idowu community choir. Jointly supported by the Foundation and Southwark Music Service, the choir’s membership is drawn from several schools in the borough. Bringing together local teenagers through song is a positive way to fight against the circumstances of David’s death, and promote harmony between different schools."

Click here to read on. Published in June 2013 issue of Music Teacher