Lewis Bolland - A Seasoned Performer

Life in Lockdown

When you talk to friends and family about what they have missed the most over the last year, top of everybody’s list is live music. Concerts, gigs, theatre performances and music festivals are being appreciated and longed-for like never before and it seems we just cannot wait to get back and enjoy them once again.

But where have all the performers, technicians and events managers gone and how have they been coping? It’s been well-publicised that the last year has been incredibly tough for the industry. In an instant, venues closed and events were cancelled resulting in professional livelihoods dramatically upended. But ‘the show must go on’ and these people are among the most resilient you will meet, finding ways to keep going through the pandemic – and staying creative!

We spoke to local pianist and performer, Lewis Bolland and asked him what life in lockdown has been like for him.

Lewis playing at the Four Seasons

“I was extremely lucky to find myself in the best possible place during the outbreak,” he told us.

“Just before the first lockdown started, all my performances were cancelled and just a few days later I had to cancel all my students’ piano lessons. It was really tough. “Alongside running my own piano school, I play the piano for the Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire, and perform for luxury weddings, cruise ships, celebrity events and I had even played for royalty. I absolutely love my work so I didn’t know what to do with myself. I quickly realised it was time to adapt to the situation and remain positive. I decided to get creative and put together an online forum for all my students and expand my repertoire. “As restrictions began to ease in June, a socially distanced walk and a catch-up with my good friend Rich led to a decision that changed my experience of restrictions and lockdown for the better. We were both living back home with parents so we spoke about potentially renting a place together. It made perfect sense.

“From that seed of an idea, it all moved very quickly. Rich found a lovely place in Swallowfield the following day and booked a viewing. The house turned out to be beautiful - there was even a soundproof room above the double garage at the end of the garden which perfect for a recording studio! Two weeks later we moved in with our partners and Rich’s brother Tom (a drummer). My girlfriend, Sophie, is a professional dancer and Rich is in an award- winning duo with his girlfriend Natalie under the name ‘Bella River’. They’ve had an incredible career including a publishing deal with EMI, performing on the main stage at the F1 Grand Prix and most recently performing in Japan for two years. They have played all over the world on luxury cruises, river cruises and hotels. They were living in Osaka when the outbreak happened and had to fly home. Being like-minded performers and creatives, the house is a really special place to be and I feel that we’ve all helped each other massively, exactly the reason we moved here. I absolutely love it. During the second lockdown in November, we kept teaching online and composing in our home studios. When restrictions were eased, Rich and Natalie went back to London to Bookhouse Studios, I performed for multiple weddings and events, and Sophie was busier than ever teaching. We’re very excited for the future of performing and we’re confident that with the media constantly referring to the ‘dawning of a new jazz age’ we’ll be busier than ever. Live music will be back!